FEMA Formaldehyde Fiasco Festers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
Last year John did a recipe of the week for optimizing formaldehyde exposure:
1. take small aluminum box;
2. fill with particleboard, composites, glues, carpet, luon plywood liner;
3. stuff tightly with jobless Katrina refugees with nowhere to go;
4. cook at high heat in southern sun until done.
FEMA was not happy with how it turned out, so they buried the critics' reviews and "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde."
FEMA did not like this coming out in the news, so Carlos J. Castillo, Assistant Administrator FEMA Disaster Assistance Directorate, issued a statement to the press:
"Recently published conclusions that FEMA ignored, hid and manipulated information regarding formaldehyde are not true. FEMA has acted responsibly with the health and safety of disaster victims as a central theme in all we do.
FEMA is not a public health agency. Yet, when the health impact of formaldehyde in our temporary housing units arose, we immediately turned to the experts at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) for advice. CDC tested remediation methods and recommended residents properly ventilate their units. We provided detailed information directly to every resident....
We ceased deploying travel trailers and offered to repurchase any that had already been sold. We coordinated with CDC to conduct a nationally certified test of the formaldehyde levels in 500 travel trailers to better inform residents and decision makers. The results and recommendations will be communicated to residents and the public as quickly as we can."
Yesterday the CDC has come out with their recommendations: Get out. Fast.
"Tests by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on more than 500 trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi showed formaldehyde levels that were five times higher than levels in a normal house. The levels in some trailers were nearly 40 times what is normal.
The CDC said people should move out quickly — especially children, the elderly and anyone with asthma or another chronic condition. Warmer temperatures can increase formaldehyde levels, and CDC officials said they want residents to move out of the trailers before summer. "
FEMA to CDC, with whom they "coordinated to conduct a nationally certified test": Drop Dead.
FEMA will continue to distribute trailers to victims of last week's tornadoes and will not be "putting anything on hold."
[FEMA spokesman James] McIntyre said that, despite the CDC recommendations Thursday, FEMA would proceed with its plan to aid victims of last week's storms.
"There will be processes put in place to ensure safety," ::Associated Press
No word on what those processes might be. So who do you believe? FEMA or CDC?
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
Processes may include leaving a pamphlet:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Welcome to your new trailer. We hope it will provide you temporary housing in the short time you'll be alive and healthy enough to appreciate it. If you notice a strange smell, cancerous tumors, dead rodents, or experience high mortality rates and/or miscarriages, we suggest you sleep outside. Yours very truly,
The Government
P.S. This has been your legal notice that accepting this housing in your time of greatest need, may kill you.
You know the CDC is typically underfunded, and largely ignored in their requests, but is usually staffed by people wanting the best for the health of the public, and with knowledge to make decisions that would allow their intentions to be made into somewhat realistic terms, or at the very elast reduce a crisis. It is too bad that politics has so often hampered this agency.
I propose that all FEMA and DHS directors, senators, Cheney and Bush live in these FEMA trailers until the situation is resolved.
Are we really surprised at FEMA's reaction?
I propose that all FEMA and DHS directors, senators, Cheney and Bush live in these FEMA trailers until the situation is resolved.
Are we really surprised at FEMA's reaction?
Notice that EPA was not approached.
Apparently the American Council of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIC) was not approached by FEMA. Nor was EPA.
These would have been the logical places to go for fast responses from people who have long familiarity with formaldehyde issues from past studies of occupational exposure standards and also from promulgation of air emission standards, respectively. But these agencies seemingly were not involved. Wonder why?
What are the odds the the manufactures of these trailers do not want their names out in public? What about other people who buy similar trailers from these same manufacturers for non-emergency purposes. Is the problem really much larger than it seems, or did the FEMA purchased product get really worse materials in them?
Inquiring minds want to know?
New term for this phenomena. Say you heard it here first.
FEMAldehyde Trailers
I wonder how long it takes for the formaldehyde to evaporate to safe levels? They could all be safe by now and throwing them away could just be a waste.
That may be true, Scott_T, but your statement ignores two important factors: 1) FEMA couldn't care less, and 2) What about the people who've already suffered through disaster relief provided by the government?
Truly ridiculous ! Absolute incompetence !
We all know how bad FEMA has been on this, but in all of the press and comments on this subject over the years, not once have I seen anyone recommend the simple solution of using activated carbon air filters (removes formaldehyde and other harmful VOCs). $50 additional cost plus maybe $20 every couple of months for replacing the filter, DONE ! No more public health disaster, no more govt PR nightmare. They need to spend the money already and end this freaking colossal stupidity ! Then they can go back to what they do best, you know, things like setting up fake press conferences.
note on trailers and other formaldehyde sources: Rich Murray 2008.02.23
So far, I haven't seen anyone else connect these black dots, and ask, "Since
formaldehyde is formaldehyde, whether from trailers, dark wines and liquors,
tobacco or wood smoke, faulty stoves and heaters, or aspartame, then all
these sources have to be discussed publicly, vigorously, accurately, now,
since it is neurotoxic and carcinogenic, impairing fertility and increasing
birth defects -- right to life issues, anyone? ---
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1455 --- FEMA slow to
safety test Katrina toxic trailers, Charles Babington of Associated Press --
1 ppm formaldehyde in air is about half the daily dose from 3 cans aspartame
diet soda and ten times the 1999 EPA alarm level for drinking water: Murray
2007.07.23 --- Rich Murray rmforall@comcast.net 505-501-2298 1943 Otowi
Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
formaldehyde in FEMA trailers and other sources (aspartame, dark wines and
liquors, tobacco smoke): Murray 2008.01.30
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1508
The FEMA trailers give about the same amount of formaldehyde daily as from a
quart of dark wine or liquor, or two quarts (6 12-oz cans) of aspartame diet
soda, from their over 1 tenth gram methanol impurity (one part in 10,000),
which the body quickly makes into formaldehyde -- enough to be the major
cause of "morning after" alcohol hangovers.
Methanol and formaldehyde also result from many fruits and vegetables,
tobacco and wood smoke, heater and vehicle exhaust, household chemicals and
cleaners, cosmetics, and new cars, drapes, carpets, furniture,
particleboard, mobile homes, buildings, leather... so all these sources add
up and interact with many other toxic chemicals.
BN Ames and LS Gold, 1998, have presented detailed information that there is
no increase in recent decades for most cancers, and that common carcinogens
do not result in significant exposures to the average human population.
However, individuals are not average -- each person has a unique genetic
makeup, resulting in a huge range of variation of vulnerability to specific
chemicals, as is well evidenced in the case of methanol, formaldehyde, and
formic acid, especially with regard to behavioral effects.
Each is subject to very wide ranges of exposure levels.
Many are in especially vulnerable groups, depending on diet, obesity, sex,
exercise, life stress, age from conception to very old, unusually severe
toxic exposures, injuries, and diseases.
It is clear that a variety of multiple chemical sensitivity syndromes do
exist, often with remarkable hypersensitivity.
Methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid toxicity are unusual, in that humans
are far more vulnerable than any other mammal, as much as ten to sixty-fold,
which complicates the utility of animal data.
The unusually long human life span also increases the role of long-term
chronic low-level exposure.
Rich Murray Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA