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Question from LR

Hi. I’m writing for a friend that is chemically sensitive (I am also) and has also had a masectomy because of breast cancer 3 years ago. She is very environmentally conscious and wants to get a 2009 Prius from the factory. I am very concerned about her exposure to formaldehyde and all the other various chemicals in a new car. She has a tendency for headaches upon exposures. Any advice or information would be much appreciated. Thank You.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have any data about emissions on the interiors of new Prius cars, but you might try contacting the manufacturer about this.

While I haven’t checked out the interiors of all new hybrids, the interiors of the ones I’ve driven through my local carshare while visiting San Francisco seem to be the usual interiors. I have driven Priuses and also Honda Civic Hybrids. I actually prefer the Honda for driving.

The car manufacturers have their attention on energy efficiency, not nontoxic interiors. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong and you have come across a hybrid car with a nontoxic interior.

My suggestion would be the same for hybrids as for any other car. See Q&A: How Do I Choose a Nontoxic Car? and Q&A: Car air purifiers.

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