A Chemical Mystery in FEMA Trailers

The May 25 front-page story "Safety Lapses Raised Risks in Trailers for Katrina Victims" implicated formaldehyde in health problems among those who lived in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers and mobile homes. But the trailers were tested only for formaldehyde in the air, not for formaldehyde in the products used in them. Thus it is impossible to know whether higher emissions came from domestic or imported composite wood products or from some other source.

As the article mentioned, formaldehyde comes from many sources; given that these were occupied units, cooking, as well as cigarettes, bedding, appliances, paint and a whole host of other products also might have contributed to formaldehyde levels. Other agents, such as mold and mildew, can cause similar symptoms, but they were not measured in this study.

Imports must meet all federal and state standards as well as the purchasing specifications their customers set. Many U.S.-manufactured goods (including domestically produced plywood) have used imported components for decades, and U.S. consumers have benefited greatly from the resulting lower costs and from the quality.

BRENT McCLENDON

Executive Vice-President

International Wood Products Association

Alexandria