The Health Risks of 'New Car Smell'

The "new car smell" that many people love could increase the risk of cancer, according to a study by scientists at Harvard University and the Beijing Institute of Technology. The study found that the air in new cars parked outside for 12 days contained chemical levels that exceeded China's national safety standard for air quality in cars. Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing compound, surpassed standards by 35%, and another dangerous carcinogen, acetaldehyde, was 61% higher than the standard. Spending just 30 minutes daily in a car can expose a person to enough of these carcinogens to put them at risk of exceeding safety standards.