ATLANTA, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) today announced the certification of micronAir filters(R), manufactured by Freudenberg Nonwovens, as the first automotive cabin air filters to be certified for low chemical emissions under the GREENGUARD Certification Program. These chemicals, known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs, are often the culprit for many health-related issues, including asthma and allergies. These chemicals often generate the well known "new car smell." Studies have shown that VOC levels of new cars are significantly higher than recommended levels for today's indoor building environment and contribute to these smells. The passenger compartment has a significant presence of plastics, woods, leathers, and textiles, and, installed with glues and sealants - all of which may emit VOCs. GREENGUARD Certification of these filters signals further movement within the automotive industry towards improving the air quality of a vehicle's cabin. As more time is spent in cars and more attention paid to indoor air quality, automotive suppliers and manufacturers have increasingly recognized the need to address the quality of the cabin air. Leading manufacturers Volvo, Mercedes, Toyota and BMW have recently taken steps to improve cabin air quality by reducing interior emissions and improving air filtration. The GREENGUARD Certification Program measures chemical "off-gassing" of products during recommended use and application, and then compares the measured emission levels against well-established and commonly used levels for exposure. GEI is a great resource for selecting low-emitting products, with more than 80 manufacturers and over 125,000 products listed in the organization's online product guide (www.greenguard.org). GEI strives to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. Products that are GREENGUARD Certified undergo rigorous testing on a regular basis and meet stringent, third party standards for low chemical emissions.
