FEMA Trailer Residents on Gulf Coast Being Poisoned by Toxic Black Mold and Form

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FEMA Trailer Residents on Gulf Coast Being Poisoned by Toxic Black

Mold and Formaldehyde

Newsinferno.com - New York,NY*

Date Published: Thursday, January 3rd, 2008

http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2306

While residents of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

trailers on the Gulf Coast anxiously await the results of

formaldehyde tests, many are finding they must contend with another

toxic substance. The FEMA trailers, which were never intended for

long-term use, seem to be susceptible to the growth of the toxic

mold.

The materials used in the manufacture of the trailers, coupled with

long-term exposure to the Gulf Coast's humid climate, could create a

perfect environment for the growth of black mold. Toxic black mold,

called Stachybotrys chartarum, is a slimy, greenish-black mold that

grows on moisture-laden materials that contain cellulose, such as

wood, paper, drywall, and other similar products – all products used

in the manufacture of the toxic FEMA trailers. Toxic mold of this

type produces hazardous byproducts, called mycotoxins. While

individuals with asthma and other respiratory problems may have

reactions to many types of mold, it's thought that mycotoxins are

more likely to trigger health problems in even healthy individuals.

These toxins are believed to be linked to memory loss and to severe

lung problems in infants and the elderly.

According to an article on the Mississippi Press website, residents

of FEMA trailers along the Gulf Coast have been reporting toxic mold

problems since they were forced to move to the structures following

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. One Mississippi resident told the

website mold began appearing almost immediately after she moved

into her trailer over a year ago, and that FEMA representatives have

made several trips to her trailer to inspect the problem. A FEMA

spokesperson told Mississippi Press that trailer occupants should

call the agency's maintenance support center at 866-877-6075 to

report any mold. The spokesperson said FEMA responds to complaints

by sending someone to inspect the trailer and, if mold is found, a

contractor is brought in to remove it.

Hopefully, the agency's response to the black mold problems in its

trailers will be an improvement over its response to the toxic FEMA

trailers' formaldehyde issues. In 2006, FEMA workers along the Gulf

Coast alerted the agency to possible problems with air quality in

the trailers. But e-mails uncovered during a congressional

investigation into the trailers showed that FEMA lawyers told the

agency to drag its feet on air quality testing. On June 15, 2006,

one FEMA lawyer advised the agency " do not initiate any testing

until we give the OK. . . Once you get the results and should they

indicate a problem, the clock is running on our duty to respond to

them " . A day later, FEMA's Office of General Council advised an

agency employee not to test the trailers because doing so " would

imply FEMA's ownership of the issue " .

The Sierra Club conducted independent tests on 600 FEMA trailers and

mobile homes being used along the Gulf Coast in 2006. In some

extreme cases, formaldehyde levels in the structures were 70 times

higher than what is considered safe. Of the FEMA trailers and mobile

homes tested by the Sierra Club, only 23 had formaldehyde levels

that " were at less than twice the acceptable long-term exposure

limit " of 0.008 ppm, and only 9 where below that standard. The

majority of the FEMA trailers had levels of .56 ppm, while the

formaldehyde detected in mobile homes was also above the threshold,

in some cases as high as 0.1 ppm.

Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It

can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic

bronchitis. The chemical was used as glue in the FEMA trailers and

mobile homes. At least two deaths of FEMA trailer residents have

been linked to formaldehyde exposure.

After months of delay, FEMA began testing toxic trailers used by

Gulf Coast residents in December. FEMA has temporarily suspended

the sale of its used trailers and says the units won't be used to

shelter victims of future disasters until the health concerns are

resolved. In the meantime, the agency has moved hundreds of Gulf

Coast families out of trailers and into apartments, hotel rooms or

other temporary housing.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 10:26 am and

is filed under Legal News, Health Concerns, Toxic Substances. You

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