Dealing With Formaldehyde, or, So You Got Stuck With A Toxic Trailer

Today I heard about the current plan for those FEMA trailers.  Originally intended to poison Katrina refugees, attempts have been made to repurpose them.  Native Americans, Haitians, there are probably others. Brown unfortunate people possibly ignorant of the evil that came with these shoddily constructed officially uninhabitable toxic pieces of sh*t, at no extra (immediate) cost: Formaldehyde. 

I reacted with that too-familiar profile of disgust, surprise, surprise at my surprise (and a bit of feeling stupid, or is it gullible) - perhaps you've felt it also, perhaps, like me, way too often in recent years. That sinking "of-course-it's-because-they're-evil-motherf*cking-assholes" initial reaction. I found out that the infamous Formaldehyde FEMA Trailers are now being auctioned off, to the general public, for pennies on the dollar, with nought but a (no doubt easily removable) sticker of a fig leaf between their seeming promise of inexpensive shelter and severe damage to the health of their unlucky future occupants.  

If you or someone you know could find this page useful – please get this page to them: Download, print, email, walk it over, whatever works.  Tell them I said 'good luck with that.'  

To All Dealing With a Katrina Style Trailer Situation:

POSSIBLE WAYS TO NEUTRALIZE FORMALDEHYDE

☞ Method of neutralizing hazardous products (United States Patent 5108621)

Treating formaldehyde or formaldehyde containing solutions which are used for tissue fixation, for providing biological sample preservatives and the like to permit a readily available disposal of formaldehyde by dumping or for external treatment without harming the environment. Formaldehyde or solutions thereof are contacted with a composition containing urea, phosphoric acid or ammonium chloride and water, they are allowed to be neutralized by the composition and the reaction product can readily be disposed.

  

☞ Air Purifiers for Formaldehyde Removal (expensive but explains why)

Residential air cleaner VOC removing performance over long periods of time is problematic... In my opinion, formaldehyde is dangerous at levels which may not provoke "allergy" symptoms. Individuals chronically exposed to aldehydes may loose the ability to smell them. If our only method of timing the replacement of costly gas-phase filters is the return of odors or symptoms, we haven't really eliminated enough of the formaldehyde.

So purifiers that actually remove airborne formaldehyde are going to be expensive, and must run continuously on high fan speeds. To be effective, filter media should be replaced much more frequently than manufacturer recommended intervals.

☞ possible remedy to remove formaldehyde?  (UNREVIEWED)

  

If anyone tries this and it works, please let me know. (me too - ed.) We know that houseplants can remove formaldehyde from the indoor air but some tests we have done show they aren't enough to reduce the formaldehyde to safe levels.

ServiceAccess may be reached at info@serviceaccess.com or 866-981-8201. We provide a service to rid trailers of formaldehyde through licensed and insured applicators. The service requires access for twenty four hours as the trailer must be vacant with air circulation. We aerate the trailer upon completion of the treatment and test for formaldehyde prior to clearing for occupancy. Cost is dependent on size of trailer. Some absorbant materials must be removed prior to treatment.

☞Neutralization of Formaldehyde Gas by Ammonium Bicarbonate and Ammonium Carbonate

Formaldehyde gas, generated by the depolymerization of paraformaldehyde and in the presence of water vapor, has been traditionally used for biological decontamination of equipment and spaces utilized for research with a susceptible biological agent. This gas has often been neutralized with ammonia gas, generated by the thermal decomposition of ammonium bicarbonate or ammonium carbonate. An elementary theoretical analysis indicates that for total neutralization the proper weight ratio of commercial ammonium bicarbonate to paraformaldehyde is 1.58, while that for ammonium carbonate to paraformaldehyde is 1.00 to 1.13. These values are supported by experimentation. The ratio for ammonium bicarbonate in particular is 44% greater than that advised in existing literature....

☞ Formulation for neutralization of formaldehyde and method of using and disposing of the same 

1. A method of neutralizing a solution comprising formaldehyde, the method comprising contacting the solution with a treatment composition comprising polyethylenimine, urea, and an acid, wherein the treatment composition substantially excludes formaldehyde.

☞ Safe Room - General Instructions

To neutralize formaldehyde in new cotton, add milk (1 cup) to the wash and soak for an hour. 

Proposed Wheat Paste Method (UNTESTED)

To these I would add one more, still entirely theoretical but one I'd try.  I include it because I think its a good idea and I am known for coming up with good ideas that test out -  NOT because I am a hypocrite.  So REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF and keep in mind that THIS IS UNTESTED.

Here goes:  Mix about a tenth of a part ferric oxide (that's rust), finely powdered, with water; coat walls; let dry.  Mix urea (pellets, nearly odorless, used to dye cloth) with water and make a strong solution; coat walls; wait until dry.  Make a thick batch of wheat paste.  Coat walls and let dry  -  or think of what color, texture, etc. would complement your décor and use the wheat paste to the end for which it was originally intended: to put up wallpaper.

How to Make Wheat Paste:

How to Hang Wallpaper:

wow! i made an html table with videos!

Note: certain infamous insects love wallpaper.  If your home is a target for these nasty invasive evil m*therfuckers, do not try this method, or at the very least add boric acid to the wheat paste, OR IT MAY ATTRACT THEM.  As a matter of fact, DO NOT USE THIS METHOD AS A SOLUTION UNLESS YOU  HAVE TESTED IT FIRST AND HAD THE RESULTS EVALUATED SCIENTIFICALLY. 

Testing for Formaldehyde (pdf) (html)

Use a formaldehyde testing kit, an airtight box, and a portion of the paneling (or whatever is outgassing formaldehyde) big enough but not too big - I would guess as big as your hand.  Put it in the box.  Leave it somewhere rather warm for a day.  Test the air  with a testing kit,  so that your result is accurate.  If your results are negative or negligible, retest, make it warmer, check your seals, use a different test method, use a bigger piece, or as a last resort coat the piece --

–––––WARNING! DO THIS CAREFULLY!! VERY Carefully!! wear a respirator (not just one of those flimsy masks), eye protection like goggles (not glasses) and gloves, long pants or overalls, closed top shoes, and a long sleeved shirt!!) –––––

-- coat the offensive outgasser with actual formaldehyde (just a drop or two) and then enclose it as above.  Now test that sucker, I bet you can measure it.  Good.  Now carry out all of the steps I proposed above, exactly, to that piece (FOLLOW THE WARNING, DO NOT CHEAT OR IT WILL HAUNT YOU.  THAT MEANS DO NOT CHEAT ON TIME EITHER, WAIT UNTIL EACH STEP DRIES COMPLETELY.) 

I SAID NO CHEATING.

NOW take the piece and put it back in the airtight testing box and measure it with the testing kit again (an unused strip or swab or whatever, of course).  Apologies if you are going 'duh,' and if not, let me refrain from saying 'sheesh' and ask you in my nicest most convincing voice to get someone to help, please, this is way too important.  Formaldehyde is seriously poisonous  DO NOT GET ANY ON YOU.  DO NOT BREATHE ANY.  DO NOT HAVE ANY ANYWHERE NEAR FOOD OR SMOKES.  If the levels are not within acceptable amounts (which to me would be NONE) Ddo not continue; email me with your results if you remember.  Sorry!  This was an untested theory:  Method of Science.  Aim is Success.  

I will update this if/when I have more info, test out the experiment, etc.

As I said above, If you or someone you know could find this page useful – please get this page to them: Download, print, email, walk it over, whatever works.  Tell them I said 'good luck with that.'

Be seeing you.

UPDATE:  My beloved has a better idea, (albeit still theoretical).  "Rip the paneling out.  Rip out all the wood or pressboard, rip out anything else outgassing, and replace it.  It would be less work." I would second that; he has an excellent record of success when it comes to hands-on construction, and, may I add, although a man of few words and certainly no wreck, is certainly one hell of an Engineer.

Be seeing you.