formaldehyde in baby furniture!

Baby nursery cribs, changing tables, and dressers can emit formaldehyde at levels linked with increased risk of childhood allergies and asthma, according to a new report released today by Environment California Research & Policy Center. In Toxic Baby Furniture: The Latest Case for Making Products Safe from the Start, Environment California Research & Policy Center worked with an independent laboratory to determine whether formaldehyde emissions from common baby nursery furnishings significantly contribute to indoor air pollution.

“One toxic chemical after another, we’re finding them in our children’s products at levels known to contribute to significant health problems ranging from asthma to cancer. Unfortunately, formaldehyde is just the latest example,” said Rachel Gibson, report author and staff attorney for Environment California. “Right now, through the Green Chemistry Initiative, California has the opportunity to provide real protections to children by requiring the replacement of toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.”

2002 travel trailer still high in formaldehyde

Note: A test kit was sent to the following person in North Carolina. His test results came in at 0.183 ppm which is very high. EPA recommends a maximum level of 0.1 ppm and for long-term exposure the concentrations should be far, far less. No wonder the family was having problems!


I bought my 2002 Coachman travel trailer (28ft) brand new in 2002. I noticed, on hot days especially, and with the windows closed, a very strong irritating interior air. The eyes and nose would burn with a headache soon afterwards. I figured it would dissipate over a short time and didn't give it much thought. I am still having the problem but not as acute. Hope we can get some help with this problem. I have two kids that use the camper with us and was always worried about there airways being affected. I have been trying to sell it for almost a year now with no luck. Help.

Baby dies in apartment complex

After this message was posted below, an infant died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in the apartment complex. There has been concern about the number of SIDS deaths in FEMA trailers on the Gulf Coast. This all underscores the recommendation by Jennifer Donelson (see March 31 blog below) that babies exposed to formaldehyde should be on apnea monitors.

Here is an excerpt from that blog:

My main concern is women in FEMA trailers who are pregnant or who have a baby that spent time as a fetus in a FEMA trailer. Maybe if someone hears my story, they might be able to do something to save their baby’s life. People need to know that an apnea monitors for their child’s breathing could save their child’s life. If my child had an apnea monitor, he wouldn’t have been dead for 20 minutes and suffered all that brain damage.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Donelson, Southaven,
jkneelee@gmail.com
Southaven, 228-265-2996

manufactured apartment making family ill

I moved into a manufactured apartment six months ago with my two sons. This is the nicest place we have ever lived in, the only three-bedroom place we have been able to afford. Before moving in we were camping out for two months because we couldn’t find anywhere else to stay.
Immediately after I moved in I began to sneeze, and would wake up with profuse amounts of phlegm in my throat. We’ve had burning eyes and nose. My sinuses have been affected and I have never had allergies or asthma before. I have had tremendous headaches. One of my sons and I have had bloody noses. We have all experienced extreme fatigue.
Two months after I moved in they posted formaldehyde warning signs stating: This building contains building materials that are known to cause cancer and reproductive damage and birth defects.
The formaldehyde has irritated my whole system so much I’ve been emotionally a wreck. I’ve ended up with bleeding in my stomach and blood in my stool, but my landlord won’t let me out of my lease. I am a single mother with two boys who rely on me. I am on disability. I have to decide between staying here and being poisoned or loosing my housing vouchers and being homeless.
They think they are doing low-income people a favor by building this kind of housing, and they shouldn’t complain. Because it is cost effective for some people to build them, is it okay to poison people? Large amounts of government financial was used to build this apartment complex. I think these places should be banned. They are planning on building these kind of manufactured apartments all over the country including in Hawaii.

EPA petition on formaldehyde

In today’s Federal Register, EPA requested comments on the TSCA Section 21 petition to adopt and apply nationally the formaldehyde emissions regulation for composite wood products recently approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB); and to extend the regulation to include composite wood products used in manufactured homes. EPA must accept or deny the petition on or before June 21, 2008. See http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-9136.pdf for a copy of the Federal Register notice.

Submit comments on or before May 12 by going to www.regulations.gov and looking for EPA Docket # EPA–HQ–OPPT–2008–0267. Go to www.sierraclub.org/toxics/downloads/2008-03-20-formaldehydepetition.pdf to view the petition. 25 organizations and 5000 individuals from every state signed the petition. See the list of organizations signing it below. To get the latest on CARB’s standards, which went into effect on April 18, go to www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/compwood.htm .

ALS\Lou Gehrig's disease linked to formaldehyde

See the toxic trailer news link on the right for article showing that exposure to chemical formaldehyde has been linked to much higher risks of getting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. This was a "surprise." But to the people who have struggled to breathe in FEMA trailers high in formaldehyde, experiencing problems like frequent bloody noses, this news won't be shocking.

This was posted as a blog to Medpage Today by Cohn Charles, Ph.D.
With regard to formaldehyde exposure, be aware that most of the chemicals used in chemical toilets (portable toilets as well as RV and boat toilets) contain formaldehyde. There are toilet chemicals available that don't contain formaldehyde, but you have to look for them. Read the labels carefully when you buy these chemicals. I have also noticed that the free bottles of chemical that come with new toilets usually contain formaldehyde.

New home tests high after 1.5 years

Just recently sent a test kit to Robert E. Richardson, Apopka, FL, Phone: 407 451 0004, to test his home that is 1.5 years old. It is a regular stick-built home, a nice home. When the family first moved in there was a very strong chemical odor. "You opened the door, walked in the house and Wow! It about knocked you over." Robert had allergy problems before, but they have gotten much worse living in the house. He has a runny nose and his nose swells shut. They have been opening the windows and doors as much as they can. But this still tested high at 0.093 ppm. It was likely much higher when the home was new. This test is higher than the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Minimum Risk Level (MRL) for 1 to 14 days exposure, which is 0.04 ppm. The MLR for 14 to 365 days is 0.03 and the MRL for 365 days or more is 0.008. Clearly this is not a healthy home.

This is more evidence the formaldehyde problem is not confined to RVs, mobile homes and structures like portable classrooms. We would like to test more homes. Please contact me at 4becky@cox.net if you want a free test kit. We would also really like to test some portable classrooms.

Becky