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Formaldehyde
Problems For FEMA
And Many Others
By: Henry P. Shotwell, Ph.D., CIH
And
Robert E. Sheriff, CIH, CSP
There has been concern about the release of formaldehyde
gas from construction material used in the trailer homes
used by FEMA for temporary housing. Why the concern over
formaldehyde? Formaldehyde is a gas at normal temperatures.
It is the simplest member of a class of organic chemicals
called “aldehydes.” Most common aldehydes, including
formaldehyde, have a sharp, pungent odor. Exposure to
formaldehyde can be irritating to eyes, nose and throat.
In concentrations of a few parts per million, most people
experience intense irritation. At higher concentrations,
it may cause cancer.
According to the most recent USEPA estimate, the
lifetime risk of cancer from the low-level exposures to
formaldehyde in homes is less than 1 part per million.
Because formaldehyde has produced nasal cavity tumors
in lab animals following intense exposure, the EPA has
ranked it as a probable human carcinogen.
Formaldehyde is found in particle board and plywood,
in fabric treatments, carpet backing, foam insulation,
adhesives, resins, and fabrics. It is a tissue preservative
in hospital labs and as an embalming fluid in funeral
homes. The greatest exposures to formaldehyde are encountered
in morgues, hospital labs, funeral homes and in industrial
manufacture of paints, resins, fabrics and adhesives.
Formaldehyde is also found in tobacco smoke, automobile
exhaust and in other sources of air pollution. In the
case of the FEMA trailers, particle-board or plywood used
in their construction contain formaldehyde as part of
the adhesive that binds the wood together. If the trailers
are subjected to direct sunlight, the heat causes some
of the residual formaldehyde to evaporate and enter the
air inside the trailer. The Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) reports an average level of formaldehyde in these
trailers of about 80 parts per billion (0.08 parts per
million). The current OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit
(PEL) for formaldehyde in the workplace is 750 parts per
billion (0.75 ppm). While the occupational exposure limit
is much higher than that seen in the FEMA trailers, there
is still concern about the possibility of respiratory
illness in occupants of these temporary housing units,
especially the very young and the very old, since they
can be present and exposed 24 hours per day; not just
for an 8-hour shift.
A truly safe level has not been established. OSHA has
set 750 parts per billion as acceptable for an 8-hour
workday. EPA says a “safe” level is 100 parts per billion.
The World Health Organization says a safe level is 80
parts per billion. The average odor level of formaldehyde
is 3 parts per billion. The National Institute of Occupational
Safety & Health recommends 16 parts per billion.
The average indoor level of formaldehyde is 10-20
parts per billion. Even the most sensitive individuals
do not seem to react at this 10-20 parts per billion range.
Putting all this together would suggest several
“safe” levels:
Testing can be done by an experienced and reputable
Industrial Hygienist. The highest level of an Industrial
Hygienist is a Certified Industrial Hygienist who could
perform these tests or oversee the testing of another
Industrial Hygienist.
Atlantic Environmental Inc
2 East Blackwell Street
Dover, NJ 07801
(800) 344-4414
(973) 366-4660
(973) 366-3116 Fax
info@atlenv.com
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