FEMA Trailer Formaldehyde Liability Suit On The Way
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.18.08
You only need to know one thing to get past CDC's equivocating about the meaning of FEMA-trailer formaldehyde test results. You need the same information to understand FEMA's foot dragging in getting the testing underway: formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen. This issue goes far beyond wheezing, and rashes, and increased headaches or dizziness. It's about fear of getting the Big C; and, it's about the prospect of health care costs that will be a burden on society for decades because of poor choices in building material specification. In other words, it's about bad design. This is the epitome of "ungreen" building, wrought large.
A trailer-house of cards is about to come tumbling down.
In 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure (1). Since that time, some studies of industrial workers have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with nasal cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and possibly with leukemia. In 1995, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. However, in a reevaluation of existing data in June 2004, the IARC reclassified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen (2).
Ripple effects of this lawsuit will be a huge market generator for green building materials.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which supplied about 120,000 travel trailers to hurricane victims in 2005, is expected to be named as a co-defendant in a massive lawsuit against manufacturers charging the units had dangerous levels of formaldehyde...If the hurricane victims prevail, the formaldehyde suit could rival other huge product-liability lawsuits, including those filed against asbestos and tobacco manufacturers, in the scope and size of awards.
See also::FEMA Formaldehyde Fiasco Festers
Via::Clarion Ledger, "Hurricane victims expected to sue FEMA" AND National Cancer Institute, Formaldehyde and Cancer: Questions and Answers Image credit:: Molecular Structures and Charge Density, Formaldehyde
Next time give them tents.
I don't think that's a formaldehyde molecule (H2CO), it appears to have two too many atoms.
And next time there is a disaster, there won't be anybody to build trailers for the homeless that opt to live at or below sea-level. I think Rob is right, tents.
-Lego
At first glance I thought that molecule wasn't formaldehyde which is H2CO--but a look at the source web site shows they use the dark grey spheres to represent non-bonded electrons. Neat.
FEMA won't listen to a solution to this problem. We have a small unit that is secure and puts out a harmless (to humans) plasma stream that will eat up formaldehyde and any other pathogen they might have (mold, mildew, bacteria, etc). They cost about $450 each and would easily handle it. We can even get them on the GSA in a very short time if needed. FEMA, if you're listening, contact me. (Also kills MRSA and c-Diff).
Formaldehyde has long been known as a problem in trailers. The sale of these contaminated trailers to FEMA smells of an underhanded bailout of an industry with a huge problem, but with taxpayer money. With strong political connections, there is a good chance that the trailer mfgs will avoid liability.
As one of the other bloggers pointed out this is a problem that has existed for nearly 50 years. Almost every house trailer in the US has the same problem. Instead of sticking up for the little guy, however, and directly solving the problem the current bruhaha is just a political swift boat attack. To solve this problem once and for all just pass a law setting limits or banning use of formaldehyde in this application altogether. Isn't that what the government is supposed to do.
My family and I lived in a trailer for about 10 years built in northern Indiana and with high levels of both acetone and formaldehyde. This was almost 40 years ago. Most people will complain of the new trailers even if formaldehyde levels are very low because of a normally human near paranoid sensitivity to acetone which is the quick dry solvent in fingernail polish. It is used in trailers to dry the finishes quickly and is the most common trigger for complaints against formaldehyde and other trailer fumes. Most people can tell the difference but don't complain until acetone is added.
Acetone is, compared to most paint solvents, fairly safe. And it is especially safe as compared to formaldehyde.
So what we have here is gorilla politics. Unlike asbestos where there is a clear and present danger any lawsuit in this case is the pot calling the kettle black. Basically it is the Congress suing the Congress for not doing something that they still don't intend to do!t What a bunch of neons.+