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Toxic Trailers

Hurricane Katrina's victims cope with yet another ordeal--unhealthy residences provided by Uncle Sam.

By Catharine Skipp | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Feb 16, 2008 | Updated: 1:10  p.m. ET Feb 16, 2008

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  • Posted By: stevens4291 @ 12/10/2008 6:20:13 PM

    The trailers are back up for sale again but are now sold as scrap materials. Have a look.. http://www.governmentauctions.org/fematrailers.asp

  • Posted By: BednarekRealty @ 06/13/2008 2:20:32 AM

    "manufacturers were pressured to deliver the trailers before they'd been adequately ventilated." sounds like
    the problem has been isolated & could possibly be solved by installation of (radon removal) fans...bednarekrealty@hotmail.com

  • Posted By: workn4fun @ 03/02/2008 9:55:38 AM

    Everyone fails to say the Brand of these trailors. I have a 5th wheel I purchased with my hard erned money. Itnwas not given to me, by a government agency. I have been having the same problems, eyes watering and burning, asthma, trouble breathing in the middle of the night even with the air conditioner on. We always have the windows open. I purchased this in 2006, you think the smell would be gone by now. Mine is a Keystone, Springdale 2006. Should I be conserned? I did contact the company and they told me to keep the windows open. A lot a good that does when it's raining or 40 degrees outside.

  • Posted By: rmforall @ 02/23/2008 10:11:46 PM

    note on trailers and other formaldehyde sources: Rich Murray 2008.02.23

    So far, I haven't seen anyone else connect these black dots, and ask, "Since
    formaldehyde is formaldehyde, whether from trailers, dark wines and liquors,
    tobacco or wood smoke, faulty stoves and heaters, or aspartame, then all
    these sources have to be discussed publicly, vigorously, accurately, now,
    since it is neurotoxic and carcinogenic, impairing fertility and increasing
    birth defects -- right to life issues, anyone? ---
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1455 --- FEMA slow to
    safety test Katrina toxic trailers, Charles Babington of Associated Press --
    1 ppm formaldehyde in air is about half the daily dose from 3 cans aspartame
    diet soda and ten times the 1999 EPA alarm level for drinking water: Murray
    2007.07.23 --- Rich Murray rmforall@comcast.net 505-501-2298 1943 Otowi
    Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

    formaldehyde in FEMA trailers and other sources (aspartame, dark wines and
    liquors, tobacco smoke): Murray 2008.01.30
    http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.htm
    Wednesday, January 30, 2008
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1508

    The FEMA trailers give about the same amount of formaldehyde daily as from a
    quart of dark wine or liquor, or two quarts (6 12-oz cans) of aspartame diet
    soda, from their over 1 tenth gram methanol impurity (one part in 10,000),
    which the body quickly makes into formaldehyde -- enough to be the major
    cause of "morning after" alcohol hangovers.

    Methanol and formaldehyde also result from many fruits and vegetables,
    tobacco and wood smoke, heater and vehicle exhaust, household chemicals and
    cleaners, cosmetics, and new cars, drapes, carpets, furniture,
    particleboard, mobile homes, buildings, leather... so all these sources add
    up and interact with many other toxic chemicals.

  • Posted By: rmzmmmm @ 02/21/2008 9:27:49 AM

    This also the manufacturer's of these trailers like Forest River and others. They should be made pay for this. They know what FEMA was going to do with these trailers

  • Posted By: rmzmmmm @ 02/21/2008 9:24:10 AM

    This is also the manufacturers of these trailers like Forest River and others.And they should be made to pay for this . These trailers were made wrong.

  • Posted By: Army4RangeR @ 02/19/2008 3:53:36 PM

    Where else in the WORLD would you find people willing to bite the hand that feeds them??
    This prevalent ENTITLEMENT mind set is outrageous and and insult to everyone all across
    the nation who rushed to the aid of these people. How many years do they plan to be
    VICTIMS...it was a NATURAL disaster!!! In the history of our country there have been
    tons and tons of natural disasters(like the fires in California) BUT the government didn't have
    to sink billions of dollars into taking care of those people. It's called personal ACCOUNTABILITY...THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT did not built the damn trailers..it was
    an act of kindness...THESE idiots have tried every angel possible to sue the federal
    government for everything and anything imaginable....This has given rise to the racial divides of black and whites issues of this nation....
    Here in Houston, one man was shown in an apartment right after the hurricane, he was lying
    on the bed complaining that FEMA didn't provide him with a car...CAN you beat that??
    He was probably living in the best place he'd ever lived, then bitched....

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 02/21/2008 8:49:43 AM

      Exactly! They chose to live in an area that was prone to hurricanes. When I first visited NO several years ago, even I knew it was a sitting duck if a storm hit it. Don't tell me these people LIVING THERE didn't know that. I'm sick of people choosing to live in a high risk area and then the rest of America paying to rebuild their homes. It was a NATURAL disaster. The government couldn't prevent this. The local news AND federal authorities told residents to leave. If a big hurricane is coming, I'm hightailing it out of town. I'm not going to sit around and tempt fate. Then they want to complain about the government. Yes, it was a tragedy. It happens. Does it entitle you to gripe and moan for the next ten years? NO!!! Get off your butt and do something!! NO shouldn't be rebuilt. It should be let go to nature, to return to what it was--swampland, and a buffer zone for inland areas when hurricanes hit.

  • Posted By: jdoll123 @ 02/19/2008 9:50:34 PM

    OK so what about the rest of us who stay (or live in) travel trailers? Are you saying that everyone who has a NEW one is in danger?------------
    hi,i am a beautiful 40+ woman jdoll ..i am single and mature..

    I just want to find a mature gentleman for fun time here...

    i also uploaded my hot and sexy photos under the name jdoll123 on

    ------SeniorWoo.com------come on to check them out.Waiting for you!

  • Posted By: fire15s @ 02/18/2008 9:14:24 AM

    Get your lazy ass out of the trailer and work on your house. Fresh air and hard work will help your health a give yourself a place to live.

  • Posted By: fabronder @ 02/17/2008 10:37:44 PM

    toxic environments

  • Posted By: fabronder @ 02/17/2008 10:36:41 PM

    The difference is that they worked hard and paid for them. I belive this.--------My name is wayland. Before, i was quite lonely, i was afraid of coming out. My past life was full of sadness. But since i met my bf on gaysinglehunt.com. My life changed. I have courage to come out. And i have many friends there now.

  • Posted By: cragwandering @ 02/17/2008 11:16:05 AM

    http://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/products/prodpb.aspx
    New plywood using soy based adhesive eliminates Urea Formaldehyde at no extra cost. Good start now what about other apps like carpet adhesives?

  • Posted By: liljohnnyo @ 02/17/2008 10:28:51 AM

    I am very concerned for the folk of New Orleans. However, where is the real story in this mess? Is it not that all travel trailers & RVs are toxic environments. I think this speaks to all Americans out on their toxic family vacations. Do thousands of Grampa & Gramas living the American RV lifestyle die of cancer? I bet it is true!

  • Posted By: carnabylane @ 02/17/2008 7:19:56 AM

    While Bush is off trying to build something on which to hang his legacy hat "abstinence Africa" the true shame of his failed presidency drags on and on. The Katrina victims have payed the full price of his moronic reign.

  • Posted By: TeeEmm @ 02/16/2008 9:16:44 PM

    PS: I think they are lucky to have these. They are lucky not to be living in filth on the street, where disease might be twice as bad. And I don't believe these were meant to be their PERMANENT homes. I think that they should be grateful to have them and happy that FEMA gave them something to live in. Sorry. Many other people on this planet buy (and stay in) these things every day. But I suppose this is just ONE MORE WAY to be unhappy with the government.

    • Posted By: TerryE2233 @ 02/16/2008 11:41:57 PM

      TeeEmm - It's all about a sense of entitlement. FEMA gives them the trailers, purchased in good faith with our tax dollars. Yes, trailers are not perfect, some have chemical odors that last a few years. If there is a problem with fumes, it should be addressed with the manufacturers, not with FEMA. FEMA did not build them just purchased them to help tide people over until they can get back on track.

  • Posted By: TeeEmm @ 02/16/2008 9:14:28 PM

    OK so what about the rest of us who stay (or live in) travel trailers? Are you saying that everyone who has a NEW one is in danger? Is this being addressed by the manufacturers of the trailers? I agree there is a strong odor...my travel trailer is approx. 4 years old now and it STILL has that odor. I stay there many weekends during the hot summer. Does that mean that I should be complaining as well? Just how much of a hazard are these things? And what about people who choose to live in these things on their own? Are you saying NONE of them are safe?

    Do tell!

  • Posted By: TerryE2233 @ 02/16/2008 6:01:08 PM

    Who manufactured the trailers? Evil FEMA? No, but FEMA has big pockets...

  • Posted By: incognito @ 02/16/2008 4:45:28 PM

    Middle class workers have been living in mobile homes with the same issues for decades. The difference is that they worked hard and paid for them.

  • Posted By: TOMPACEII @ 02/16/2008 3:00:28 PM

    IT HAS BEEN THIS WITH MANUFACTORED HOMES FOR DECADES OUR FIRST ONE IN THE EARLY 70'S SMELLED TO HIGH HEAVEN. WE WOULD OPEN ALL WINDOWS AND DOOR AND AIR THEM OUT SOON THERE WAS NO PROBLEM ANMORE THE VAPORS WERE GONE. SOUNDS MORE LIKE A PRYOBLEM MADE BY BIG NEWS SO THER EIS SOME OTHER DISASTER TO READ ABOUT.

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