Analysis Finds Toxic Levels Of Formaldehyde In FEMA Trailer Units Provided To Gulf Coast Area Residents, CDC Says

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 15 Feb 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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An analysis of the air quality of trailer units provided to Gulf Coast area residents after Hurricane Katrina found toxic levels of formaldehyde, which can cause respiratory and other health problems, CDC officials said on Wednesday, the AP/New York Times reports.

For the analysis, Bureau Veritas North America -- an independent contractor hired by CDC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which purchased the trailer units in August 2005 -- tested the air quality of 519 units in Louisiana and Mississippi between Dec. 21, 2007, and Jan. 23. The analysis found average levels of formaldehyde of 77 parts per billion in the air of the trailer units, with levels as high as 590 parts per billion in some units. The air in new homes has average levels of formaldehyde of 10 to 17 parts per billion. Mike McGeehin, director of the Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects at CDC, said that the analysis found the highest levels of the formaldehyde in the air of smaller and less ventilated trailer units (Stobbe, AP/New York Times, 2/14).

CDC and FEMA officials on Thursday plan to begin meeting with the estimated 100,000 residents of the 38,000 trailer units in the Gulf Coast area to discuss immediate relocation measures. According to federal researchers, the agencies should first relocate residents with chronic health problems, such as asthma, elderly residents and families with children (Hsu, Washington Post, 2/14). McGeehin said that, because higher indoor air temperatures significantly contribute to the high levels of formaldehyde found in the trailer units, CDC hopes to relocate residents before summer (AP/New York Times, 2/14).

CDC Director Julie Gerberding said that the results of the analysis indicate the need "to move people who have been reluctant to move and to move us in government to do more to find reliable housing" for Gulf Coast area residents affected by the hurricane. In addition, she said, "If levels are high today, that means people in housing vulnerable to formaldehyde could be exposed to health effects now," adding, "We're also concerned because they've been in there 18 months, and even a low level could result in large cumulative exposure." Gerberding said, "We know less about effects of chronic exposure. It's very important we reduce it as much and as quickly as we can, and the way to do that is to get people out of these homes" (Washington Post, 2/14).

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