The Health Risks of New Car Smell

The smell of a brand new car comes at a cost to those who spend enough time in a freshly minted vehicle, as levels of cancer-causing chemicals exceed safe limits inside a new car parked outside for 12 days. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and benzene were detected at levels that exceeded safe limits, with the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) from multiple volatile organic compounds detected inside the one new car used in the study being high enough to imply a "high health risk for drivers". Exposure to new-car chemicals can be limited with a few common-sense measures, or alternatively, opt for a second-hand car or use alternative transport.