Risks of exposure to benzene

A study found that new cars contain vinyl and plastic materials that emit gases containing benzene. This benzene exposure is characterized by that "new car smell". Commuters driving in polluted cities may think that using the air conditioning instead of opening the windows to pollution is a better health measure. In fact, "it's about two to ten times more polluted inside a vehicle on a congested freeway or a major street," according to Mel Zeldin of the North Carolina Air Quality Management District.