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FEMA Hurries Hurricane Survivors Out of Toxic Trailers
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, February 15, 2008 (ENS) - Testing by the
nation's top health agency has found high levels of formaldehyde in
government issued travel trailers and mobile homes used as emergency
housing in the Gulf Coast Region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in
2005.
So, after denying for years that health problems of trailer occupants
were caused by high levels of formaldehyde, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, FEMA, today is hastening to move people out of
35,000 trailers and into other accomodations.
Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to low levels of
formaldehyde may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin.
It is possible that people with asthma may be more sensitive to the
effects of inhaled formaldehyde, according the federal Agency for
Toxic Substances.
"As a result of preliminary findings FEMA will be taking additional
actions to provide for the safety and well being of the residents of
these travel trailers by finding them alternative housing," said FEMA
Administrator David Paulison. "FEMA is leaning forward and will
continue to act and provide information to our residents in an
expedited manner."
"We're not going to wait for the final results but we're going to work
to continue or expand our actions with the residents that need to be
relocated," Paulison said. "We had a peak of almost 144,000 families
in these travel trailers and 105,000 of those have already moved
out."
FEMA Director David Paulison and CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding
announce the formaldehyde findings. February 14, 2008 (Photo by Manuel
Broussard courtesy FEMA)
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, CDC, which conducted the testing, said now is the time to
get people out of these trailers.
"The levels in many of these trailers and mobile homes are higher than
would be expected indoors," said Gerberding. "Since these levels were
found in December and January, and we know that higher temperatures
can cause formaldehyde levels to go up, we think it's wise for people
to be relocated before the hot weather arrives in summer."
Gerberding said people who are sick should be on a rush list for
removal from the trailers. "It would be beneficial for people who are
displaying symptoms as well as households with children, elderly
persons, or occupants with chronic respiratory illnesses to receive
priority consideration for alternate housing," she said.
CDC's preliminary evaluation of a random sample of 519 travel trailers
and mobile homes tested between December 21, 2007 and January 23, 2008
showed average levels of formaldehyde in all units of about 77 parts
per billion, ppb.
These levels are is higher than expected in indoor air, where levels
are commonly in the range of 10-20 ppb.
Some formaldehyde levels in the trailers were more than seven times
the average of 77 ppb. Levels measured ranged from three ppb to 590
ppb.
"Long-term exposure to levels in this range can be linked to an
increased risk of cancer, and as levels rise above this range, there
can also be a risk of respiratory illness," the CDC said.
Various lawsuits have been filed in federal court in New Orleans
against the manufacturers of the trailers by occupants who have
suffered health problems. They were combined into a single legal
action in November 2007, and the plaintiffs have until March 18 to
file a master complaint
According to Tony Buzbee, of the Buzbee Law Firm, in Galveston, Texas,
"While we question FEMA's handling of this health issue, we agree with
the agency that the ultimate responsibility for the safety of families
using these trailers falls to the manufacturers."
"We allege that the manufacturers produced and delivered tens of
thousands of unsafe and hazardous travel trailers, at a cost to our
government of more than $2.4 billion, and we urge the federal
government to investigate the manufacturers of these units
immediately," Buzbee said.
FEMA travel trailers for hurricane victims at Harrell Stadium in New
Orleans. (Photo by Robert Kauffman courtesy FEMA)
"As we believe the litigation will show, these trailer manufacturers
knew of and failed to disclose the health risks of putting displaced
families in these units," he said.
"Our clients report a wide range of symptoms that are consistent with
formaldehyde exposure and consistent with the CDC's reports," said
Buzbee. "The time has come for the government to force the industry to
explain how and why these housing units were so toxic to the displaced
families living in them."
On February 19, CDC public health professionals and FEMA
representatives will begin the process of hand-delivering to occupants
who participated in the study a letter with their individual test
results. These teams will answer residents' health questions and
,................................................
Government screw up again......cheap plastics used in
construction.....
fiberboard...crap.
love
hank
SO now the darkies are living in nice HOTELS instead.....
you are paying for it.
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, February 15, 2008 (ENS) - Testing by the
nation's top health agency has found high levels of formaldehyde in
government issued travel trailers and mobile homes used as emergency
housing in the Gulf Coast Region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in
2005.
So, after denying for years that health problems of trailer occupants
were caused by high levels of formaldehyde, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, FEMA, today is hastening to move people out of
35,000 trailers and into other accomodations.
Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to low levels of
formaldehyde may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin.
It is possible that people with asthma may be more sensitive to the
effects of inhaled formaldehyde, according the federal Agency for
Toxic Substances.
"As a result of preliminary findings FEMA will be taking additional
actions to provide for the safety and well being of the residents of
these travel trailers by finding them alternative housing," said FEMA
Administrator David Paulison. "FEMA is leaning forward and will
continue to act and provide information to our residents in an
expedited manner."
"We're not going to wait for the final results but we're going to work
to continue or expand our actions with the residents that need to be
relocated," Paulison said. "We had a peak of almost 144,000 families
in these travel trailers and 105,000 of those have already moved
out."
FEMA Director David Paulison and CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding
announce the formaldehyde findings. February 14, 2008 (Photo by Manuel
Broussard courtesy FEMA)
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, CDC, which conducted the testing, said now is the time to
get people out of these trailers.
"The levels in many of these trailers and mobile homes are higher than
would be expected indoors," said Gerberding. "Since these levels were
found in December and January, and we know that higher temperatures
can cause formaldehyde levels to go up, we think it's wise for people
to be relocated before the hot weather arrives in summer."
Gerberding said people who are sick should be on a rush list for
removal from the trailers. "It would be beneficial for people who are
displaying symptoms as well as households with children, elderly
persons, or occupants with chronic respiratory illnesses to receive
priority consideration for alternate housing," she said.
CDC's preliminary evaluation of a random sample of 519 travel trailers
and mobile homes tested between December 21, 2007 and January 23, 2008
showed average levels of formaldehyde in all units of about 77 parts
per billion, ppb.
These levels are is higher than expected in indoor air, where levels
are commonly in the range of 10-20 ppb.
Some formaldehyde levels in the trailers were more than seven times
the average of 77 ppb. Levels measured ranged from three ppb to 590
ppb.
"Long-term exposure to levels in this range can be linked to an
increased risk of cancer, and as levels rise above this range, there
can also be a risk of respiratory illness," the CDC said.
Various lawsuits have been filed in federal court in New Orleans
against the manufacturers of the trailers by occupants who have
suffered health problems. They were combined into a single legal
action in November 2007, and the plaintiffs have until March 18 to
file a master complaint
According to Tony Buzbee, of the Buzbee Law Firm, in Galveston, Texas,
"While we question FEMA's handling of this health issue, we agree with
the agency that the ultimate responsibility for the safety of families
using these trailers falls to the manufacturers."
"We allege that the manufacturers produced and delivered tens of
thousands of unsafe and hazardous travel trailers, at a cost to our
government of more than $2.4 billion, and we urge the federal
government to investigate the manufacturers of these units
immediately," Buzbee said.
FEMA travel trailers for hurricane victims at Harrell Stadium in New
Orleans. (Photo by Robert Kauffman courtesy FEMA)
"As we believe the litigation will show, these trailer manufacturers
knew of and failed to disclose the health risks of putting displaced
families in these units," he said.
"Our clients report a wide range of symptoms that are consistent with
formaldehyde exposure and consistent with the CDC's reports," said
Buzbee. "The time has come for the government to force the industry to
explain how and why these housing units were so toxic to the displaced
families living in them."
On February 19, CDC public health professionals and FEMA
representatives will begin the process of hand-delivering to occupants
who participated in the study a letter with their individual test
results. These teams will answer residents' health questions and
,................................................
Government screw up again......cheap plastics used in
construction.....
fiberboard...crap.
love
hank
SO now the darkies are living in nice HOTELS instead.....
you are paying for it.
