FEMA Trailers Banned for High Levels of Formaldehyde Return for Latest Gulf Disaster

Banned Trailers Return for Latest Gulf Disaster

VENICE, La. — In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, they became a symbol of the government’s inept response to that disaster: the 120,000 or so trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to people who had lost their homes.

The trailers were discovered to have such high levels of formaldehyde that the government banned them from ever being used for long-term housing again.

Some of the trailers, though, are getting a second life amid the latest disaster here — as living quarters for workers involved with the cleanup of the oil spill.

Ron Mason, owner of a disaster contracting firm, Alpha 1, said that in the past two weeks he had sold more than 20 of the trailers to cleanup workers and the companies that employ them in Venice and Grand Isle, La.

Even though federal regulators have said the trailers are not to be used for housing because of formaldehyde’s health risks, Mr. Mason said some of these workers had bought them so they could be together with their wives and children after work.

WOW!

So it's ok to sell contaminated trailers to BP workers and thier families.

WHY?

Is it because they know these workers are already contaminated as well?

Is it because due to this contamination these workers will die?

Is it because they want to get the families contaminated too, to prevent a future litigation against them by these families?

you be the judge.

reply to post by Megiddodiddo

Wow, even "temporarily," it seems unusual for anyone to let their own family stay in those things. Surely they are aware, no?
Maybe they think the stay will be short, or maybe someone has convinced them that it is "really not that bad?"
As to why are the trailers even offered? I'm guessing to save money.

Thanks for the post
Peace


[edit on 2-7-2010 by speculativeoptimist]

I thought that even last time the safety of these things was in question, there was absolutely no proof that the trailers were unsafe ???

reply to post by Megiddodiddo


Hi

A quick search using "trailer" would have given you the following threads:

Toxic FEMA Trailers For BP Workers and Their Families
Banned Trailers Return for Latest Gulf Disaster

Not normally in the habit of pointing things out like this but I am seeing this forum which I am following daily showing topics which threads have already started.

Peace

Recreational vehicles, unless they're specifically built formaldehyde-free for full time living, are built with the idea in mind that exposure will be on a limited, short duration, occasional basis (the 2 week rv summer trip, the camping trip, etc).

The trailers should never have been promoted for housing for Katrina victims.

It could be, that by now the formaldehyde has outgassed enough to inhabit longer, but another concern for me would be mold build up in a stored trailer, especially a trailer stored in humid climes.

Nonetheless, usually an rv is not for full-time living and there's a warning label somewhere to that effect (ours is inside a cupboard). A buyer really should have been told it was a FEMA trailer, just to be able to know its past use and storage. And a seller should tell these workers that they weren't designed for housing.

Hey, some people, however, say to heck with business ethics and do anything for a buck.