You know that new car smell that everyone adores? The smell is
derived from chemicals such as brominated flame retardants (BFR) and polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), to name just two of hundreds of chemicals that go into the
manufacturing of the plastic parts in your car. Unfortunately, the chemicals
can be lethal and exposure to these chemicals is known to increase the risk for
learning disabilities, cancer, birth defects, and liver toxicity.
According to healthystuff.org the worst offender in a
study that examined over 200 vehicles from model years 2011 and 2012, was the
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The cleanest car studied was the 2012 Honda
Civic. What made the Honda Civic such a good choice?
The car earned a low score for toxicity for refraining from use of
BFR in all of its interior components and kept interior fabrics and trim,
PVC-free. The manufacturer also made sure to keep use of heavy metals and metal
allergens to a minimum. The result? A car that is less likely to make you sick.
Natural Products
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, on the other hand, used flame
retardants based on antimony and bromine in for its seat fabrics, seat base,
and center console. Did you think that leather, being a natural product, would
be safe? Think again, the leather Mitsubishi uses so frequently for car
components are treated with chromium. According to the study, the lead content
of the seat materials in the Outlander Sport model came in at 400 parts per
million.
If you are one of the lucky ones who purchased a Honda Civic in
the past couple of years, breathe a sigh of relief (without fear of taking in
dangerous chemicals). But if you’re one of the unlucky souls who purchased the
Outlander Sport, you may want to consider donating your car to a car donation
charity such as
Kars4Kids that will take care to make sure that the car is processed in a
responsible manner, without further polluting the environment.
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