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The so-called "new car smell" can damage your health. understand why

The “new car smell” has become synonymous with luxury, but it is made up of a variety of chemicals, mainly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be very dangerous.

In addition to plastic and vinyl, which are found in car seats and bonnets, formaldehyde is the main component used, common in the engineering woods that make up the dashboard and seats of the car. The VOCs contained in the wood escape from the seats and panels, as they do not require high temperatures to evaporate, releasing the smell so characteristic of new cars.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic compound for humans and animals, belonging to Group 1 according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Its risk depends on the time of exposure to which the human being is subjected, the ventilation of the place, the humidity of the air and the number of sources present, which can cause headaches, cancer and damage to the nervous system.

After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, in the United States, many families lost their homes and went to live in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA). After the move, people living in these trailers began to develop a variety of symptoms, such as eye and nose irritation, asthma attacks, coughs and even cancer, because these mobile homes without adequate ventilation contained a large amount of engineered wood. . They are sources of formaldehyde and are used primarily in trailer walls and panels.

In cars, this danger is not so great, as we do not spend so much time inside cars and because there is ventilation. But the fact is that inhaling these types of products is not good for your health.

The “smell of the new car” was not a goal to be achieved by the automobile companies. However, it became something cultural. Associated with luxury and status, the fragrance permeated consumers who increasingly want to keep that scent in their cars. Some auto companies made sprays, which became perfumes for old cars to smell like new ones, drawing consumer attention and improving sales.

As much as this famous aroma can bring a pleasant sensation to the car owner, it can also pose health risks. Therefore, try to avoid exposure to this type of product as much as possible. Give up the "perfumes" for cars and opt for natural flavorings.