The Invisible Things That Are Not Ideal - and What You Can Do About It

So we got a new car yesterday. Our trusted, 12 yr old minivan is definitely showing its age. Major excitement for all the boys here, playing with all the gadgets and trying to figure out how to open the trunk with their foot!

Ah... the innocence of youth ...

In the meantime, my 44-yr-old brain was just screaming: "New Car Smell! VOCs - VOCs - VOCs!!!" 

What are VOCs?

VOCs stands for "Volatile Organic Compounds". It's things like, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, bromide and other toxins.

They come from the plastics, glues, paints and fabrics in the new car and, as they are volatile, they get to you via the air. 

You breathe them in and they also stick to your skin. 

New buildings/furniture have the same issue, but there is a lot less air in the closed compartment of a car than in a room, so the problem is multiplied several times. 

VOCs are not ideal 

They can make you nauseous (definitely my case!), give you headaches, make you dizzy and drowsy, make your throat sore and irritate your nose and eyes. 

They can rev up your immune system, mess up your thyroid gland and, some of them, are proven carcinogens.

As if that was not enough, a recent study, published in October 2023, found that exposure to VOCs affects insulin resistance and blood sugar balance and is, therefore, a risk factor for diabetes - especially for women aged 40–59 . 

Not ideal at all.

What You Can Do About It

The thing is, we live in a world where toxins are everywhere and we cannot just spend our time freaking out about it. Often there is not much we can do. So no point in stressing out about it.

But there are times when our actions can make an instant difference, so why not:

• put a reminder to air your house daily, even in winter, when its cold; 
• if you are commuting on a bike in traffic, think about wearing a mask;
• if you live in a city, think about investing in an air purifier for your home;
• check if your car has a HEPA air filter and, if not, think about getting a portable one you can plug in;
• if you get a new car, air it out and do not leave it in the sun/heat!
• avoid those air freshener things that are supposed to make your car/house smell nice - they only add to the problem, not solve it!

As for my part, the new car will have to stand there with its windows open for a few days. The boys will have to just play with the buttons for now!