March 23, 2014
by Christopher Lampton
Most people seem to enjoy the smell of a new automobile. But is it possible that the fresh-off-the-dealer’s-lot odor could also make you sick? Dr. Heinz Linke
We all know what “new car smell” is, right? It’s the smell of the interior of, well, a new car. Most people like it and some people like it so much that they buy new-car-smell sprays and air fresheners that make the interiors of their cars smell new until they’re old enough to be towed off to the junkyard. But is it possible that new car smell could also make you sick?
A lot of people think so. There have been studies suggesting that at least a few of the chemicals that give a car that fresh-off-the-dealer’s-lot odor may be toxic and not all of them go away as the car gets older. But before we can answer the question of whether new car smell is or isn’t toxic, we have a more important question to answer: What exactly is new car smell made of, anyway?
That’s a tough question to answer. We can start by asking just what it is that we think we’re smelling when we climb into a brand new car interior. Some people think it smells like leather, but only luxury car interiors contain much in the way of actual leather and new car smell can even be found in economy cars. Other people think it smells a bit like plastic, but good plastic, not the cheap kind that $1.99 toys are made out of. Some people think it smells like … well, a whole lot of different chemicals.
That last group is closest to the mark. There really are a whole lot of chemicals making up the interior of a car and some of them release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the car’s interior, a process that has the somewhat unpleasant-sounding name “outgassing.” It’s these VOCs that produce new car smell, though some of them produce no odor at all. Some of these volatile chemicals, like ethyl benzene and formaldehyde, are also found in paints and glues, and they can cause problems like dizziness, headache, allergies or even cancer when inhaled in large enough quantities or for long enough periods of time. Some people have compared inhaling new car smell to glue sniffing or even sick-building syndrome.
But are there enough of these compounds in new car smell to make a fresh car interior truly unhealthy or would they require more exposure than the average driver is likely to get to them? The best way to find out is — you guessed it — to do a scientific study. Let’s talk about a couple of the studies that have been done and what they’ve found out.
Putting “New Car Smell” Under the Microscope
Questions about the toxicity of new car smell aren’t new. Neither are studies aimed at determining whether it’s a problem you should be seriously worried about. Probably the most recent of these studies was conducted in February of 2012 by a non-profit group called the Ecology Center. Their “Model Year 2011/2012 Guide to New Vehicles” (which you can download in PDF format here) is unequivocal on the issue: “[T]hese chemicals [in new car smell] can be harmful when inhaled or ingested and may lead to severe health impacts such as birth defects, learning disabilities and cancer. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles is becoming a major source of potential indoor air pollution.” Whoa! That’s enough to make you want to wear a gas mask until your car’s old enough for the warranty to expire! But before you decide to buy only used cars for the rest of your driving life, they add that “some cars are better than others. Toxic chemicals are not required to make indoor auto parts, and some manufacturers have begun to phase them out.”
Okay, guys, let’s name some names. Which cars does the Ecology Center believe have the healthiest interiors? Their top five picks, starting with the healthiest, are the 2012 Honda Civic, 2011 Toyota Prius, the 2011 Honda CR-Z, the 2011 Nissan Cube and the 2012 Acura RDX. Check their PDF to see the rest of the top ten. The two cars with the least healthy interiors, according to the Ecology Center, are the 2011 Chrysler 200 S and, in last place, the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Honda wins as having the line of cars with the healthiest interiors overall. The report concentrates on the presence of bromine (used in flame retardants), chlorine, and lead, grouping other volatile organic chemicals in a single category in their rankings. The report includes a list of hundreds of popular cars manufactured from 2006 to the present and lists the amount of each of these substances present in each car’s interior.
Fortunately, a lot of the volatile chemicals in a car’s interior go away over time — that’s why they call it “new car smell” — but they don’t go away completely and they can come back on hot days when the higher temperatures increase the rate of outgassing. One thing you can do to combat this process on hot days is to roll down the windows rather than using the air conditioner, letting fresh air circulate into the car and releasing the volatile compounds into the air outside (which isn’t necessarily good for the air outside, but it’s certainly better than being closed up in a car full of toxic fumes). You can also park your car in the shade, so it will stay reasonably cool.
Not all studies done over the years have agreed that new car smell is a danger to automobile occupants. A 2007 study conducted at the Technical University of Munich in Germany concluded that the chemical compounds released inside a car might at worst exacerbate allergies, but don’t pose any other significant threats to human health. The study was conducted by collecting air samples from the interiors of new cars and three-year-old cars placed under 14,000 watts of lights, which generated interior temperatures up to 150-degree Fahrenheit (65.6-degree Celsius), a lot hotter than the average car is likely to become under ordinary conditions. They then exposed human, mouse and hamster cells to these samples to look for toxic effects. None were found. The researchers concluded that new car smell isn’t toxic. However, the researchers also admitted that if the air inside an office building were found to have the same chemical content as the air samples found in the cars, the building would be declared to have sick-building syndrome and the workers would be sent home until it had been cured.
So in a sense both studies agree: Automobile interiors contain poisonous chemicals. But the Ecology Center feels that these chemicals represent a health threat to occupants and the German researchers do not. In the end, you’ll just have to choose which study you want to take seriously. And maybe roll down your windows a bit more than you usually do to let the bad air out.
Lots More Information
Author’s Note: Is “new car smell” toxic?
If I ever put together a list of my five favorite odors nobody would ever name a perfume after, I think new car smell would easily make the top five, right after freshly ground coffee beans and way ahead of wet paint. So it’s rather distressing to discover that it might be hazardous to my health. Given that researchers disagree on just how much of a danger the volatile chemicals in an automobile interior represent, you might not want to start wearing that gas mask quite yet. But I’ll confess that it made me feel a lot better to see that my own car, a 2011 Toyota Prius, was determined to have the second healthiest interior by the Ecology Center. Car buyers shopping for a healthy car would do well to look at the health rankings in their report.
John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
IAQA E-News
The Board of Directors of the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) voted to rescind Section 2 of IESO’s Standard of Practice for the Assessment of Indoor Environment Quality, 2nd Edition, 2003. Acting within its proper authority, the IESO rescinded Sections 2210 and 2110 since they were not originally developed following ANSI Essential Requirements.
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
From Wonder Makers Environmental
The EPA has begun enforcement of the new Renovation Repair and Painting (RRP) regulation. For a window replacement company in the Midwest, this new regulation came at a hefty cost. The company was fined $70,000 for failing to hand out Renovate Right brochures to its homeowner customers ($35,000 for non-compliance; $35,000 for willful violation).
Another window contractor in Michigan was cited with a $784,380 fine for failing to warn the tenants of 271 residential units of possible lead exposure during construction activities. Business owners are responsible for the requirements of all regulatory agencies that have rules concerning the work they do.
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
Restoration Industry Association
The deadline for making your reservations at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for RIA’s Leadership Summit and Industry Expo is Monday, February 7th. With the cost to attend the event is the lowest it’s been in 10 years, rooms will be going fast, so make sure to book ASAP. The early registration price is $400 for the first attendee and $300 for each additional one, and includes 2 full breakfasts and lunches, education sessions, exhibition hall access and two evening receptions. Register for the convention here before the February 21st early-bird deadline.
This is a great place to pick up several continuing education credits, particularly for those who hold RIA Certifications and need to attend one RIA event within their 3-year cycle.
This will be RIA’s only convention-style event this year, since there will not be a traditional “Fall Conference” as done in the past. There will be a two-day Striclty Contents Conference in Chicago on September 15-16. More details to come…
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
With just three weeks left until the IAQA 14th Annual Meeting & Indoor Air Expo, the buzz is building throughout the industry. IAQA’s line-up of speakers includes key representatives from government and industry, with more than 30 educational sessions and panel discussions to choose from. See the full program of events below. The Indoor Air Expo, co-produced by IAQA, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), and the Radiant Professionals Alliance (RPA) features nearly 200 exhibitors. Click to see the exhibitor list and interactive expo floor plan: Indoor Air Expo.
It’s not too late to register for the IAQA 14th Annual Meeting & Indoor Air Expo, taking place in San Antonio, Texas from February 15-17. Click the convention banner at the bottom of this email to get travel information, registration forms and other essential information. See you in Texas!
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
The Code Development Review Ad-Hoc Committee (CDRAC), charged with reviewing Member feedback regarding—and addressing critical issues impacting—the Code Council’s current code development procedures, posted all four committee reports and a summary of CDRAC Recommendations online. The CDRAC’s final meeting, which is open to Members and stakeholders, is planned for February 3-4 in Rosemont, Illinois.
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
Columbia, MD – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has given its annual convention and exhibition a major facelift and will be unveiling some of those changes at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The Leadership Summit and Industry Expo will take place from March 8-11 and will feature four facilitated discussion forums on several different hot topic themes that encompass a host of different subjectS:
Management in Today’s Challenging World – lean management, personnel issues, today’s technology
Covering Your Assets – risk assessment, legal issues in restoration, lead-safe practices
Opportunity Knocking in a Deficit-Laden Economy – new revenue streams, distinguishing your company from the competition, social media marketing
Spend More Time Planning Your Vacation Than Customer Service? – defining the industry’s customers, setting and exceeding customer expectations, providing world class customer service
“RIA has a reputation for providing new ideas, trends and concepts at its Convention,” said RIA President Frank Headen, CR, WLS, CMH. “These expanded sessions allow attendees to determine what topics are important to them and gather information from the leading cleaning and restoration professionals from around the world.”
There will also be two keynote presentations. Evan Marcus of Dillon Marcus Executive Retreats will address the “Wisdom of We” and the importance of “inter-dependence” in today’s business environment. Ted Garrison of Garrison & Associates takes a look at “An Industry in Turmoil: Trends to a Restoration Turnaround.”
Eight other 90-minute break-out sessions will tackle the topics of: job costing analysis, organizing for tomorrow’s business, “leed” vs. “green” certifications, RIA’s Phoenix Award winners, restoring contents, a review of Xactware’s 2010 annual property report, transitioning the family restoration business to the next generation, and how to become a “restoration survivor.”
For more information or to register, visit http://www.restorationindustry.org.
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 30, 2011
A newly published book by Vince Elliott, BS, MHS, describes how facilities can now be cleaned thoroughly, hygienically, at less cost, and with greater work productivity without the use of chemical cleaning agents.
New Book Advocates Chemical-Free Cleaning
The book, Extreme Green Cleaning, was introduced in November at the 2010 ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America trade show in Orlando.
In it, Elliott writes that the professional cleaning industry is moving beyond conventional or green cleaning chemicals to emerging technologies that use plain tap water instead of chemicals.
“This is what I call renewable, ‘chemical-free cleaning,'” says Elliott. “It means no cleaning residues are left on surfaces or in the air after cleaning.”
Elliott argues that even though green cleaning chemicals are safer for users and the environment, “they still are chemicals. The typical [American] office building is using approximately 1,600 pounds of these chemicals each year, dumping about six billion pounds of chemicals into our environment annually.”
Instead, Elliott suggests employing these effective alternatives:
Activated water systems, which use electrical currents to turn tap water into a powerful disinfectant
Electrolyzed water systems, which are used for scrubbing and cleaning floors
The no-touch cleaning system, which is considered a “sanitizing device” based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria*
“Chemical-free cleaning may have caught some people by surprise because it has been evolving so slowly,” adds Elliott. “But it is here and growing and will prove to be one of the most significant trends in our industry in years to come.”
Elliott’s book may be purchased through Amazon.com .
*Applies only to certain models of the no-touch cleaning system developed by Kaivac, Inc. Cleaning must be performed as directed, with water only, and no chemicals or cleaning agents. The EPA classifies a “sanitizing device” as any system that reduces the number of microbes on a test surface by 99.9 percent.
For more information, visit http://www.ealtd.com or http://www.cfcn.info .
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 25, 2011
When it comes to mold, the general public knows little to nothing other than what they read on the internet or hear from someone who makes money selling mold-related products or services.
Most people who call a mold inspector or mold removal contractor are not really sure if they have a mold problem or not. Maybe they smell something, maybe they had a toilet back up in the past, or had a flood. Perhaps they’re experiencing some unexplained health condition that they believe might be caused by mold growing in their home.
It’s one thing to know for certain that you have a mold problem, but quite another to not know for sure. And between the ‘not knowing’ and all the hype and scare tactics that are used to sell mold services (both inspections and remediation), it’s only natural for people to be somewhat ‘fearful’ when they call a mold removal company.
Fear is a powerful motivator and many unscrupulous mold contractors are masters at playing the fear card to create a sense of urgency in order to motivate you sign a contract right away. That is not to say that all mold remediation contractors are unscrupulous.
There are many excellent consultants and contractors out there. But in these slow economic times, it is wise to beware of anyone using words like; “FREE MOLD INSPECTION”, “FREE CONSULTATION”, “FREE TESTING”, and “FREE SAMPLES” in their pitch.
More often than not, free comes with a hefty price that ends up costing far more than you thought it would and never has that been more true than in the mold business.
How To Avoid It:
Make sure your Mold Inspector is Licensed by the State and ensure that your mold inspector is not your mold remediator.
The safest thing consumers can do whenever the word “FREE” is used to sell a mold remediation job is to avoid that contractor all together.
Think about it. No one is in business to do anything for free.
Anyone offering something for free is doing so to sell you something else.
While that may be fine when it comes to “buy one – get one free” deals offered on TV infomercials, in the mold business a free inspections and testing can end up costing you thousands of dollars for remediation work that may be grossly exaggerated or in some cases doesn’t need to be done at all.
Most importantly it’s against the Law in the State of Florida to provide mold assessment ans remediation on the same job.
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com www.CFL-IAQ.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
January 23, 2011
In 1984, the World Health Organization Committee said up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide have complaints related to indoor air quality. Florida is no exception.
In the subtropics of the state’s coastal areas, cooling and removing the humidity from the air inside buildings and preventing mold buildup is a year-round battle that has come with a big price tag.
For instance, Sebastian officials spent more than $250,000 to remove carpets, replace walls and rework air-circulating equipment at their Police Department headquarters. The city of Rockledge paid $88,000 last year to replenish the air quality in its fire station.
Between 1997 and 2001, the Brevard County School District spent more than $19 million to revamp, clean and replace air-conditioning systems in its offices and area schools. That doesn’t include projects involving roofs, doors or windows that impact indoor quality, nor the ongoing maintenance of air conditioning equipment.
“There are a large number of buildings that date back to the mid-1960s. It’s a challenge to take 1960s technology with air conditioning and yet continue to provide good air quality,” said Richard Smith, indoor air quality control coordinator for the district.
He said air-conditioning systems represent the largest unfunded need in ongoing school maintenance programs. “It’s always the largest chunk of our 5- or 10-year plans,” he said.
Greg Smith, assistant superintendent of operations for Indian River County schools, said the district is spending about $1 million to revamp the air-conditioning system at Thompson Elementary School in Vero Beach.
Last year, the district did similar work at Highlands Elementary and Sebastian River Middle School.
Also, the Indian River County Commission recently decided to build a new municipal building, in part because of the poor air conditioning and circulation system.
“We want to address air quality concerns in the development of plans for a new building. That’s also why the Space Needs Committee has recommended an open-office design to prevent stagnant areas,” said Tom Frame, county general services supervisor.
Written by: Linda Jump
•John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
•Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
•Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
•www.Microshield-ES.com
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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
Indoor Air Quality Solutions, IAQS 