ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Enviroblog is a project of EWG Action Fund.

About our authors.

FEED

 Subscribe in a Reader

Subscribe by Email

An EWG podcast for environmental health news on the go.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

TIPS

Did we miss something? Email Enviroblg.

BLOGROLL

STAY CONNECTED

Get our monthly eNewsletter, action alerts, & environmental tips. [Privacy policy, About EWG]

Healthy Home Tips for Parents

Eco-nomics, the new kind of economics

Please don't disrupt my endocrines!

Taking pollution personally

FEATURED

Please don't disrupt my endocrines!

Healthy home tips for parents

Consumers to FDA: Be there or be square

Lead: Celebrate its ban, but don't cross it off your list

Cheatsheet: Bisphenol A

7 ways to reduce your exposure to PBDEs

Ask EWG

What can I do about fluoride in my water?

What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

SEARCH

ARCHIVE

select month October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004

« SMM: Food for faith | Main | Consumed by air pollution »

Trailers exceed maximum formaldehyde exposure levels

By Amanda

Who do you turn to when the government agency that comes to your rescue ends up making you sick?

More than a year after initial reports that high levels of formaldehyde in trailers and mobile homes given to victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita were making residents sick, FEMA still hasn't done its own large-scale testing. The results from private tests performed by the Sierra Club and a Galveston, TX law firm demonstrate that the problem might be much worse that anyone suspected.

Of the nearly 600 trailers tested, only nine actually fell below the CDC's long-term exposure limit. Another 14 were at about twice that level. The rest greatly exceeded it. Some of the travel trailers came in at 70 times the long-term exposure limit. Even the larger, airier mobile homes came in above the recommended levels, which at least one researcher believes indicates that the mobile homes were not built to HUD standards.

You may recall the internal emails in which FEMA employees were advised to postpone testing:

One June 2006 e-mail stated that FEMA’s Office of General Counsel "has advised that we do not do testing" because this "would imply FEMA's ownership of this issue." Another agency attorney advised "[d]o not initiate any testing until we give the OK. While I agree we should conduct testing we should not do so until we are fully prepared to respond to the results. Once you get results and should they indicate some problem, the clock is running on our duty to respond to them."

Well, they've done it again -- FEMA put off planned testing earlier this month,saying that they needed more time to determine "what level of exposure would be acceptable." In the meantime, they've stopped distributing the travel trailers and are working to re-house the 52 thousand people currently living in the trailers and mobile homes into permanent housing.

« SMM: Food for faith |