Saturday, May 20, 2006

Toxic at Any Speed

Chemicals in Cars & the Need for Safe Alternatives
by the Ecology Center


Seat cushions, arm rests, floor coverings and plastic parts used in most car interiors are made with toxic chemicals known to pose major public health risks. PBDEs, used as fire retardants, and phthalates, used to soften PVC plastics, have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births, and early puberty in laboratory animals, among other serious health problems.

A first-of-its-kind report by the Ecology Center, Toxic at Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives, found significantly higher levels of PBDEs in vehicle dust and windshield wipe samples than those found in homes and offices in previous studies. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in their car every day, this is a significant source of indoor air pollution. The study ranks car manufacturers according to the levels of toxic chemicals found inside the vehicles.

See the Report Press Release: HTML or PDF
See the Follow-up Press Release: HTML or PDF

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