FEMA told the CDC not to report on long term effects of formaldehyde emitting trailers.

CDC Suppressed Toxic Trailer Warnings

CBS News has learned that the Centers for Disease Control, the nation's top public health agency, suppressed repeated warnings from one of its top scientists, raising questions about whether the CDC bowed to pressure from FEMA to conceal the long-term health risks of formaldehyde in the trailers it distributed to hurricane victims - health risks like cancer and birth defects, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

A string of internal documents obtained exclusively by CBS News reveal that Dr. Christopher De Rosa, director of the CDC's Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, told his superiors "there is no safe level of exposure" to formaldehyde in trailers. That warning never made its way into any public report about the trailers.

In addition, Dr. De Rosa wrote in an email that two of his staff members had been directed by FEMA officials to not "address longer term health effects" of formaldehyde in this February 2007 report.

More...

Criminals!

The level of interference with public health and safety assessments made by the government agencies who are supposed to protect Americans is beyond obscene.

The stench in Washington is so bad, I can barely keep down breakfast.



[edit on 29-1-2008 by loam]

It's getting to the point that none of this crap surprises me anymore. Are we honestly supposed to believe that our government agencies are there to protect us? They have become big corporations. Protecting themselves from liability, and CYA is the order of the day.

I'd like to think that the FEMA trailers were just a low-bidder mistake. But once they found out that something was terribly wrong, that's when the problem should have been solved! Instead of making things better, they have knowingly subjected thousands of Americans to toxic living conditions, just so they could save face.

What has happened to Leadership in this country? What has happened to Responsibility?

Both the Director for FEMA and the CDC should be fired immediately, and they should hire someone with a soul to replace them!

[edit on 29-1-2008 by yankeerose]

Does anyone know what exactly, in the trailors, is the source of formaldehyde? Seems to me that this is mainly an issue which originates in the hands of the manufacturer. The manufacturer should be held responsible. Government should have released news when they first realized the toxins and not suppressed it. One could raise the question, are there other trailors made the same way that put others at risk for formaldehyde toxins besides the ones the govt. used?

Originally posted by yankeerose

Both the Director for FEMA and the CDC should be fired immediately, and they should hire someone with a soul to replace them!

[edit on 29-1-2008 by yankeerose]

How many FEMA directors will that be in the last 3 years? 3? 4?

It doesn't seem like anyone at FEMA can figure out how to actually help American citizens. pretty much everything I hear about is how 'insufficient' their actions tend to be, and after the fact as well.

What are we going to do about it? Probably nothing, in fact I have already forgotten what we were talking about in light of Brittany Spears' latest outburst of her Personality Disorder...
DocMoreau

Originally posted by DocMoreau
It doesn't seem like anyone at FEMA can figure out how to actually help American citizens.

Because it is painfully clear THAT was never the goal. It would be too inconsistent with this administration's public relations plan.

And you are right...NOTHING will be done about it. :shk:



[edit on 29-1-2008 by loam]

well both FEMA and the manufacturers of the trailors should be held responsible for this madness. Not only were they very aware of the issue, they tried to cover it up.

sickening. especially knowing that children were probably affected.

And these are the people we are suppossed to "trust" to tell us the truth about 9/11.

OK.....

Canada has its own multi-faceted problems in government, but it really seems you US Americans have been sold down the river by some of the most nefarious people to ever lead a government.

Clearly, FEMA and your Department of Fatherland Security need to be abolished. And while you are at it you should throw Michael Chertoff in prison (together with Ben Chertoff as far as I am concerned). Of all the "evil nogoodniks" in the Cheney/Bush government, Michael Chertoff is the one who has all of the dark energy of a bloodsucker and soul-stealer.

Admitted, my rhetoric may be over the top, but I fear for the USA during this last year of the most diabolical government that I can recall.

A study at Stanford University claims also that Ethanol, when burned as a fuel, produces two carcinogens, Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde.

Switch to Ethanol as Fuel May Harm Health

Jacobson used a computer model to simulate what air quality conditions in the United States would be in 2020, if there was widespread use of vehicles fueled by E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

"We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others -- formaldehyde and acetaldehyde," Jacobson said in a prepared statement. "As a result, cancer rates for E85 are likely to be similar to those for gasoline. However, in some parts of the country, E85 significantly increased ozone, a prime ingredient of smog."

Originally posted by Amaxium
Does anyone know what exactly, in the trailors, is the source of formaldehyde?

It is mainly due to the adhesives used in plywood and particle board. It dissipates over time as the adhesives cure. You can usually smell it in a new home and if you have ever walked into a new trailer or RV you can smell it.

Here is a link to good info on those trailers. The info you want is on pages 7 through 9 I think.

Link to report on Trailers.

What these reports don't state, to sensationalize the story I guess, is that these trailers could have been aired out over a few weeks and made safe after the adhesives cured more. I believe the risks for short term exposure is minimal. Although the danger is real this story was blown WAY out of proportion for political reasons.

Between the Democrats wanting to make it look like Bush's and hence the Republicans fault, the Media wanting sensational stories and the covert desire of Katrina Victims to somehow blame the Government for a Hurricane to enhance lawsuits; it has escalated to the current ridiculous level.

Being an election year this will come up often I'm afraid. The Democrats see it as a way to smear the Republicans by blaming Bush somehow. People are so naive that it will influence some voters. Expect stories like this to surface constantly over the next few months. Exaggerations I mean.

Bottom line is; air out the trailers for a bit and they are safe. I'd like to buy one at bargain basement prices.

[edit on 1/29/2008 by Blaine91555]

reply to post by Pellevoisin






OK but only if we can tell you what to do about your Governments issues. fair is fair.

Seriously; take it all with a grain of salt. Politicians, ATS and the News Reporters have a way of blowing many things out of proportion with an upcoming election for the most powerful post in the world. If even half of what is on ATS were true there would be riots in every city in the US.

Hows the GW over there. It's damn cold over here.

reply to post by Blaine91555


So the fact that they lied to CTA is A-ok with you? How many times do we need to be lied to before we say enough?

20 million.....40 million......60 million?

I don't get why people try and just hand wave these things away. "Move along, nothing to see here."

Yes, the trailers can be vented, but did they? Did they lie about the effects of short term exposure? I'm not saying that the vapors are the end of the world either here, but they still lied to save face. And we just turn around and take it. Shame.

Originally posted by Griff
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

So the fact that they lied to CTA is A-ok with you? How many times do we need to be lied to before we say enough?

That is not what I said. I was only commenting on the REAL gravity of the problem.

I'm thoroughly disgusted with how Government operates if that is what you mean. Government is people and people do bad things. Bush has been a bad influence on our Government in many ways. Our Government needs an overhaul I'll admit. Your best method of speaking out is to cast your vote. Only the voters can replace these jerks.

I don't see this as a major conspiracy. I see this as incompetent people being given authority.

Don't be so quick to judge peoples words. Anger clouds the mind and leads to exaggeration of facts which is just as harmful to our society. You labeled me without even knowing my motives. I'm not the Bogeyman. I'm just another Bozo on the Bus like everyone else.

This is just one in a long list of egregious transgressions against many of the survivors and victims of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Those concerned should watch Big Easy to Big Empty. It's availble right here at ATS in the premium video section.





[edit on 29-1-2008 by Areal51]

LOL...And to think all the old people who are packing those same type trailers up and trucking off from the North to the South every winter for warmer weather...lol Hmmm. Lets reach here for a minute...Wait the real reason for the cover up is all those old people are on Social Security and if they hide this then maybe the government can save social security by killing off the baby boomers...lol My...oh, my..

Originally posted by DocMoreau
It doesn't seem like anyone at FEMA can figure out how to actually help American citizens.

I don't think that's the problem
no matter who you put in office, they can only do
as much as the Bush Administration allows.
The FEMA director and CDC Director are only
extensions of Bush's Dysfunctional Administration.
The liability remains in the top seat of the Oval Office.

reply to post by Blaine91555

LOL

Feel free to have at any and all Canadian politicians. Most of them are snakes. Most of the time I am convinced that Ottawa is either filled with demons or mean-spirited space aliens.

Hey guys/gals,

I happen to know a little about this. I researched these trailers alot before buying one out of pensicola, Fl. I drove several hours to walk through at least a hundred trailors. Some were never used and some were abused quite badly. Out of all of the "new" ones (not used) Only the completely Plain Jane trailors that were built in a rush just for the victim's had a strong glue/phemaldihyde (sp) odor to them. Out of the 100 or so that I looked at I would say that there were about 10 or 12 of these that were Quickly made. (this was obvious by the detail and workmanship done to the trailors. No decals on the outside, no tags on things etc).

Anyhow, Before I went I researched these trailors and found out about the Odor/Phemaldihyde (sp) problem in some. Here is a link to the article, I saved a few articles this is from a year ago. Also if it means anything to you guys most of the "new trailors" or ones never lived in were in fact these Plain Jane.

Link:
www.cwarkansas.com...

I rejoined the site just to post this, hope it helps

What I don't get is that I've known about the formaldehyde problem for a long time. My mom bought a doublewide trailer when I was a kid, the stuff can make you sick for awhile...
But, like someone pointed out it's coming from the building materials...aren't the same building materials being used in the manufactured housing, the trailers, and well, the new homes that are being sold now??
why is it a danger to the katrina victims, but not to the public at large?

reply to post by loam


Really? These were just there to house some poor people down south, it wouldn't hurt if we lost of few of those would it?