Formaldehyde in Your FEMA Trailer?

FEMA trailers were produced very quickly by several companies. In the rush to finish the trailers, some companies used unsafe materials. Paint, adhesives, insulation, and particleboard used to fabricate the trailers may contain formaldehyde. As the trailer ages, formaldehyde is released into the air in a process called “outgassing.”

Just 0.1 parts per million of formaldehyde can cause burning, watery eyes, nausea, and breathing problems for some people. The Sierra Club tested 44 FEMA trailers and found levels three times that high in some trailers. Elderly people and children may be more likely to get sick.

Increasing ventilation in your FEMA trailer can help. Keep the door and windows open as much as you can. Outgassing increases in higher temperatures. When you can't have your windows open, certain plants can help to filter the air in the trailer.

Plants that Remove Formaldehyde from the Air

Boston ferns, English Ivy, and spider plants all remove formaldehyde from the air. Boston ferns remove the most formaldehyde (1,863 micrograms per hour), followed by English Ivy at 1,120 micrograms per hour. Spider plants remove 560 micrograms per hour, but also remove carbon monoxide gas.

To remove most or all of the formaldehyde in the air in your trailer, use three to six Boston Fern or English Ivy plants inside your trailer, spreading them out so that there are plants in each room. Even one fern will help to purify your air. If you use spider plants, use two to four plants per room. Spider plants located near the stove will help to remove carbon monoxide gas.

Boston ferns can be purchased at home improvement stores and plant nurseries, and may cost between ten and twenty dollars. They can be divided by cutting or pulling the root balls apart and repotting each section. English ivy plants and spider plants can be grown from cuttings. A sunny or partially sunny window is a good place for these plants. Water them only when the soil feels dry, and consider using fertilizer in the winter months.

If you cannot afford to buy these plants, you can get plants for free. Call Zeraph at (504) 442-2314 or email commonwetlands@gmail.com. If you cannot pick up the plants, we will deliver them to you. Please pass along this information to your friends and neighbors so that we can give plants away to those who need them.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against FEMA

On May 18, 2007, Parker Waichman Alonso Mark LLP, Gainsburgh, Benjamin, David, Meunier & Warshauer, L.L.C., Law Offices of Daniel E. Becnel, Jr. and the Law Offices of Ronnie G. Penton have filed a class action lawsuit against the private contractors as well as the federal government on behalf of individuals who sustained serious injuries as a result of being exposed to formaldehyde while living in a trailer provided by FEMA. The case was filed in United States District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana (Docket number 07-2961). Go to http://www.toxicfematrailer.com/html/lawsuit.html to fill out a form for a free consultation, or call 1-800-LAW-INFO.

Sources: http://www.earthwitchery.com/pollution.html, http://www.toxicfematrailer.com/html/lawsuit.html
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2007/2007-07-25-02.asp.