Hurricane Victims Face Formaldehyde Fumes

Newsweek reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has deemed Gulf Coast trailers unsafe after finding toxic levels of formaldehyde fumes in them.

The trailers were supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Gulf Coast hurricane victims. The fumes found in 519 trailers and mobile homes was at levels about five times higher, on average, than what people are exposed to in most modern homes.

Mike McGeehin, director of a CDC division focusing on environmental hazards, says that FEMA should move people out quickly, espcially families with children, the elderly, or anyone suffering from asthma or other chronic conditions. He adds, ‘We do not want people exposed to this for very much longer.’

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. It is used in the construction of plywood, and also in many adhesives, varnishes, and other building materials. The trailer and motor homes' small sizes and poor ventilation made the effects of the fumes even worse. Heat also contributes to the release of the chemicals into the air, prompting the urge to get people moved to other quarters before spring raises temperatures.
Activated carbon removes formaldehyde from the air.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified formaldehyde as a carcinogen, and the Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a probable carcinogen. Short-term exposure to formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems, itchy eyes, nosebleeds, headaches, and asthma attacks.

HEPA air purifiers are excellent at removing particulate matter from the air, but only air purifiers equipped with activated carbon, such as Aller Air air purifiers, are able to remove formaldehyde from the air.

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