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Reducing Pollution Inside your Car

© Savithri Shimada

It has been proposed that the prevalence of allergies in today's society is a consequence of our polluted environment. Most people I know suffer from some sort of allergy, usually respiratory or skin-related, and of these people a huge proportion find they react to chemicals and dust in their environment. My husband and I have found that while our reactions are more annoying than dangerous, we can make our lives far more comfortable simply by buying goods that contain few irritants. We can choose laundry detergents and soaps with fewer additives, and buy clothes and linen made from natural wools and cottons. However, when it comes to cars we really have very little choice, or so I thought until very recently, when I found that some car companies are addressing the problem of allergies when they design their cars' interiors.

There are many factors that make a car unclean, to ourselves and the environment. The upholstery can harbour dust mites, and can contain irritating fibres and chemicals. The air quality inside the car is important also to those with respiratory problems.

Volvo's new V70 model uses carefully manufactured textiles and leathers for its upholstery to cater to hypersensitive skins. All textiles used in upholstery, seatbelts, mats, padding, and so on, must meet the requirements of Öko-Tex Standard 100, an eco-labelling standard which stipulates that no hazardous substances may be used in manufacture and handling and the textiles must not emit any hazardous substances during use. If leather is used for seats, Volvo uses only leather tanned only with natural vegetable substances, which is also in line with the requirements of Öko-Tex Standard 100. Of course, this is aimed at reducing the risk of allergic reactions, and is not meant to suggest the leather upholstery is environmentally friendly.

Air filters help keep interior air free from dust, pollen, bacteria associated with air conditioners, and outside pollutants. A carbon and gas sensor in the filter measures the levels of nitrogen oxides, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. The ventilation system automatically closes air vents before carbon monoxide levels become unhealthy, for example when driving behind trucks, in traffic jams, or in tunnels.

An innovative coating on the radiator, called PremAir®, converts ground-level ozone to oxygen. It is not 100% efficient, but its maximum efficiency (up to 75% conversion) is reached at conditions when ozone formation is greatest - on hot days when sunlight is strong and exhaust fume levels are high. Ozone is a health hazard to humans and has far-reaching effects on the environment. (Too bad we cannot transport our ground-level ozone pollution to patch up the hole in our atmospheric ozone layer...)

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