CDC To Begin Testing Trailers For Formaldehyde
FEMA continues efforts to move residents out of trailers

Release Date: December 13, 2007
Release Number: HQ-07-245a

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=41921

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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced
today that testing for formaldehyde levels in trailers and mobile
homes will begin Friday, December 21, 2007. Testing will take place
in Mississippi and Louisiana. The testing comes in response to a
request from FEMA for assistance in answering questions related to
indoor air quality and health in order to answer concerns raised by
residents and community members.

CDC will begin indoor air sampling to determine formaldehyde levels
inside a representative sample of occupied trailers and mobile homes
purchased by FEMA to provide temporary housing for Gulf Coast
residents. Models to be tested include travel trailers; modified
travel trailers, often called "park models;" and mobile homes.

Currently, no federal guidelines or scientific standards exist
related to formaldehyde levels in travel trailers. CDC will provide
guidance to FEMA and information to trailer residents based on
scientific findings. The guidance will help residents understand
what the test results mean for them, and it will help FEMA establish
priorities for which families may be in most urgent need of
permanent housing. FEMA has placed a priority on moving people out
of temporary housing.

"We are mindful of the importance of this information to people who
have been living in temporary housing for such a long time," said
Dr. Henry Falk, director of CDC's Coordinating Center for
Environmental Health and Injury Prevention, said. "This is a
complex task. Knowledge about health effects of formaldehyde on long-
term residents of temporary housing is limited. Levels we find in
these tests will help everyone involved in this process make better
informed decisions about what steps to take."

"FEMA's first priority has been and continues to be the health and
safety of temporary housing residents," said FEMA Administrator
David Paulison. "Upon request, FEMA will continue to move any
temporary housing unit resident with a formaldehyde concern into a
hotel or motel immediately and will work with all residents to
provide them a housing alternative. Every occupant who has
expressed a health concern through our hotline has been offered a
housing alternative and we are continuing to work with each of them
to find a permanent housing solution that meets their needs."

CDC will take samples of air inside about 500 occupied trailers and
mobile homes. Residents are encouraged to participate in the testing
if contacted, but participation is not required. Testing will take
approximately five weeks. A summary of findings will follow in early
2008, when all testing has been completed and the data have been
analyzed. At the same time, residents who participated in the
testing will be notified of the results for their residences.

Formaldehyde is common in the environment and is used in
manufacturing a variety of building products. Formaldehyde has been
found in almost all indoor environments. It is also a by-product of
combustion and certain other natural processes. Thus, it may be
present in substantial concentrations both indoors and outdoors.

While some mitigation activities may help reduce formaldehyde
levels, all residents continue to be encouraged to seek long-term
housing solutions. FEMA is working with the Departments of Housing
and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs and others to provide
sufficient housing for all residents seeking to move out of trailers
and mobile homes.

The indoor air quality assessment is one of several actions CDC has
initiated to assist FEMA in protecting the health of temporary
housing residents. The other public health activities include:

Convening a panel of experts to identify and advise on health issues
that could be associated with long-term residence in temporary
housing units, such as travel trailers.
Assessing formaldehyde levels across different models and types of
unoccupied trailers to identify the factors that reduce or heighten
those levels. This assessment also involves identifying cost-
effective ways to reduce or lower formaldehyde levels and
concentrations in temporary housing environments. This series of
tests includes conducting an emissions study of building materials
in conjunction with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Conducting a study that looks at the health of children currently
living in trailers along with a long-term study of children born
while their families resided in FEMA trailers and mobile homes in
Mississippi and Louisiana.
Providing educational materials and information to trailer residents
about the CDC studies as well as steps that can be taken to improve
indoor air quality.
The two agencies have established toll-free hotlines to respond to
public inquiries. FEMA employees are available to discuss housing
concerns at 1-866-562-2381, or TTY 1-800-462-7585. CDC specialists
will respond to health-related concerns at 1-800- CDC-INFO.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for,
preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering
from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including
acts of terror.