CDC: High formaldehyde found in FEMA units built at area RV firms

By Laureen Fagan, 24/7News Staff Report

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Trailers, most of them made in Indiana, line up in a makeshift community for hurricane survivors in the Bay Side Park subdivision of Waveland, Miss., after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. (Tribune file photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

A report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds four Michiana manufacturers of travel trailers and mobile homes whose units, used for Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims, have significantly higher than normal levels of formaldehyde.

The CDC issued the results after testing of the housing units contracted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of the Gulf Coast disasters.

FEMA requested the tests in July, following numerous disaster victims' reports of illness and a class action lawsuit filed in May 2006.

The interim findings show Gulfstream, Keystone, Pilgrim and Forest River — all manufactured housing firms based in Elkhart County — had higher than normal levels of formaldehyde.

The four companies are among six firms that provided 61 percent of the units used in a category that includes travel trailers, mobile homes and the manufactured park model. The CDC said because Gulfstream travel trailers are the brand FEMA used most, the study reflects higher numbers of those units.

The research, done in December and January, included 519 manufactured housing units.

The temporary homes were selected at random from a list of nearly 47,000 that were still occupied in Mississippi and Louisiana in November, the CDC said in its report.

In each unit, air samples were taken for one hour, under the residents' normal sleeping conditions, to determine the formaldehyde levels. Research staff also measured humidity and indoor temperature, and did not permit smoking or cooking while taking the samples.

They also looked at general home conditions, including mold, and followed up with a resident questionnaire.

The four brands showed significant elevations beyond the normal level of U.S. exposure, which is between 10 and 30 parts per billion in indoor air, the CDC reported.

The most frequently high levels were found in Gulfstream travel trailers. The Nappanee-based company had 14,624 units listed with FEMA and 121 in the sample, with an average reading of 103 ppb. The Gulfstream products showed 56 percent of its travel trailers in the sample had levels equal to or greater than 100 ppb.

Keystone, based in Goshen, had 1,395 units listed, with 53 percent of the 38 sampled reading at 100 ppb or greater. For Pilgrim International in Middlebury, there were 1,584 units listed, and 51 percent of the 39 sampled had formaldehyde levels at or higher than 100 ppb.

And the units from Forest River, an Elkhart-based firm with 3,200 units listed, showed 44 percent at that level among 39 sampled.

The CDC said there is no specific number that defines safe levels from dangerous ones, and all manufacturers had at least some units showing elevated readings.

But as the level rises, people may have symptoms — and there may be an increased risk of cancer even at levels too low to cause signs of any illness.

In fact, the CDC suggests that the formaldehyde-level results may actually be lower than levels the hurricane victims are exposed to because lower temperatures and humidity lead to a decrease in the exposure.

The agency stressed an urgency to moving displaced hurricane victims, with whom they are meeting this week in Mississippi to discuss the report and its findings. The CDC has been notifying people of results since February 21.

The final report on the study is expected later in spring.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 2:36 PM TBD is an Idiot wrote ...

Our facility lost many trailers and several buildings. The reason the "insurance company" hasn't paid us is because we use a savings account as opposed to a "insurance company." We took these units as a loss, re-opened our plants, and issued new units to our dealers in place of the ones we lost. There was no FRAUD. We didn't get any government assistance and we took up collections for those families that lost everything. So to answer the IDIOTS question, the answer is NO!!!

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 8:10 AM ev wrote ...

Next time FEMA wants help, I suggest the people of Nappanee get together and agree that we are not able to help such a crooked department of the government.All the materials were approved, now that misfits still living in them are calling lawsuit, the government wants to attack Nappanee-but when a tornado came thru, we were told "No!"

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 7:05 PM Fred wrote ...

TBD....Please enlighten us as to how you know that the insurance company hasn't paid Gulf Stream for the storm damage.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 6:27 PM tom wrote ...

now i know what those workers are on. its all coming together now.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 6:24 PM former gulf stream employee wrote ...

these units where designed for up to 12 months use. not 2 yrs. and we only put them together with materials approved by FEMA. so why try to blame those of us that thought we were doing our part to help the victims of the hurricane. I feel that you can't blame the companies that produced these units. If the people that are still in these units are so sick then why don't they get different accomidations. alot of these same people tried to refuse these same units because they only wanted money.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 4:36 PM gulfstream Worker wrote ...

The Company Never put formaldehyde in the materials. They Just ordered it and slapped it together. The Plywood companies and the Panelling companies are the ones at fault.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 4:26 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I AGREE WITH TBD IF THAT AIN'T THE TRUTH IF IT WAS EVER TOLD .

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 2:27 PM anonymous wrote ...

TEMPORARY shelter. That's the whole problem. FEMA where is the permanent shelter that these people should be in. I wouldn't ask any of the companies in the lawsuit to build them, I'm pretty sure their answer will be NO!!!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 1:38 PM Louis wrote ...

I'm sure the individuals who build these trailers are much more exposed than those living in them. If any law suits are filed, the workers should be considered first, not the indiviudals that kept living in them.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 12:40 PM got sick too. wrote ...

what about all the production workers at gulfstream that had the same symptoms as the people lived in these units gulfstram ex workers hope you lose big in the class action suit

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 8:40 AM Anonymous wrote ...

y are these people still living in these trailer

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 8:08 AM TBD... wrote ...

Ah,gulfstream... heightened formaldehyde levels are just part of their problems.Can't wait until someone investigates the real reason FEMA wouldn't grant Nappanee Tornado Aid.Could it be because Gulfstream threw all their materials in a pile and said the wind got it?Somebody check to see why the insurance company has not paid them and hauled the stuff away.Can you say FRAUD???

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