Toxic Trailers

[pupskweek]

I saw a news item on CBS news last night that the FEMA trailers that Katrina survivors are living in down in Louisiana are toxic with formaldehyde fumes. They showed a picture of a lot where all the trailers were lined up and they were reputable brand names on the front--Salem, Coachmen, Montana, etc. etc. (Not expensive trailers but not horrible either) They also had a picture of a little boy lying on a couch and coughing his lungs out, due to the formaldehyde, they said. They (CBS) also said that FEMA knew these trailers were toxic and would make the people who lived in them sick but they didn't do anything about it.

Hey, is all this true? Are all of us who live in RVs at risk??? I would like to hear from a real expert, please.

[jim01]

I'm definitely not an expert, but I would consider the source of the report. If a TV station can find something to sensationalize they will jump on it with both feet.

I have heard of some people being allergic to some of the particleboard used in RVs, which can cause a huge problem. For the most part, I feel that with some normal ventilation, there is not a problem.

Many people live in these trailers year round with no ill effects.

[shawn]

these trailers the walls were not treated to the full extent of the prosses they were just done very fast to get them down there for people to live in . is this wrong in my eyes yes the poor people,now are getting sick and could die its just not right , if you go and look at a new travel trailer or 5th wheel you walk in and the smell just burns your eyes out of your head i cant go in to a new trailer all closed up it burns its the cemicals they use to build them.

[gtrpknmama]

these trailers the walls were not treated to the full extent of the prosses they were just done very fast to get them down there for people to live in . is this wrong in my eyes yes the poor people,now are getting sick and could die its just not right , if you go and look at a new travel trailer or 5th wheel you walk in and the smell just burns your eyes out of your head i cant go in to a new trailer all closed up it burns its the cemicals they use to build them.

I agree, Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!
Now they are trying to dump these BAD trailers on Native American Reservations! Yet another injustice!

Walk In Peace & Balance
:::==={o }pknMama
Lady Dove

[caroline]

I am also not an expert, however, I spent a year and a half working with my husband on the FEMA trailers in Mississippi.
There were definately some trailers that had more formaldehyde than others and would make my eyes and nose burn. I would tell the occupants over and over to leave the windows open and aerate the unit until the formadehyde was cleared out. I met with tremendous resistance. They would tell me "they already did that"( but, the windows were closed). It was the darndest and most frustrating thing! I would tell them that it was on-going. LEAVE some windows open at ALL TIMES. Formaldehyde isnt just a problem with the FEMA
trailers. It is found in new RV's and houses as well. I am not trying to downplay the seriousness of this problem, I am just trying to say there are some things you can do to minimize it.

[rvdoc]

OK,people...... lighten up! Formaldehyde has been used in paneling and other wood work since the early 70's. Units that are closed up in the hot sun will do this. (discomfort to eyes, etc.) After being used a short time and aired out eliminates all this. Just because a few people are overly sensitive is no reason to get excited! I have been working in the RV industry for 35 years and have owned my own RV's for the same amount of time. I 'M NOT DEAD YET.

[caroline]

We just heard from our friends still working in Mississippi that FEMA is now hauling the vacant trailers to Arkansas and BURNING them.
FEMA had been selling the trailers on the government auction site before the Formadehyde publicity scare.
Wow! What another huge waste of our tax dollars. Only the government knows how to overeact in such a costly manner:eek:

[namvet]

The tax dollars get wasted because of our system. They sell the trailer or even give it away to a needy family and someone in the family gets sick and they sue and win in our courts costing them much more that absorbing the cost of destroying them. Same reason resturants across the good old USA throws away all the unused rolls from each customer instead of feeding them to the hungry. Fragrant lawsuits.......... It sucks but we made it that way.

We just heard from our friends still working in Mississippi that FEMA is now hauling the vacant trailers to Arkansas and BURNING them.
FEMA had been selling the trailers on the government auction site before the Formadehyde publicity scare.
Wow! What another huge waste of our tax dollars. Only the government knows how to overeact in such a costly manner:eek: