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Automakers Increase Use of Biobased Materials

A growing number of automakers are getting the message that cars don’t just pollute the air around them, they create indoor air pollution that can harm those who ride inside.

Ford and Honda have made substantial changes to the materials they use inside their cars over the past year, joining Toyota in leading the way to cleaner, greener automobiles. The changes are outlined in a report produced annually by the Ecology Center, which tracks the environmental safety records of auto manufacturers.

Until recently, automakers have focused their environmental efforts on making cars more fuel-efficient to reduce greenhouse gases. But now they are also working to reduce the amount of chemically laden plastics used inside the cars, which can emit harmful gases that cause health problems for the drivers and passengers who inhale them.

Seat covers, dashboards and other car parts are often made with PVC plastics or brominated flame retardants, which “off-gas” harmful fumes. But now Toyota has developed a material known as “Eco Plastic,” derived from sugar cane or corn, to replace the more dangerous plastics. Ford has developed a soy-based foam and is working on a bio-fabric for seating.

Ford is also starting to certify the indoor air quality of its cars, the first among auto manufacturers to do so. Honda has announced its commitment to use PVC-free applications in its North American product line whenever possible.

These are all good steps in the right direction. As consumer demand for cleaner cars grows, eve more changes will undoubtedly follow.

For more information about this story, or to get a copy of the report, click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org