Nebraska Victims of Formaldehyde Gas holding organizational meeting Sunday

Harriet McFeely believes exposure to formaldehyde gas in her Hastings home is responsible for the death of four pets and health problems she and her family have dealt with over the years.

"Most people who are being gassed don't even know they are," she said.

McFeely has lived in her modular home for 16 years and said over that time she has had four, unrelated pedigree dogs develop seizure disorders and die. She had her home checked for radon and carbon monoxide, and had their water tested. None of the tests showed anything unusual. She spent hours on the phone calling people all over the country to try to find answers. And finally they came -- from a chemistry professor at Hastings College.

The cupboards in her home were emitting formaldehyde gas, she said.

Armed with her answer, McFeely began doing more research. She connected some of her health problems to the symptoms reported by people exposed to formaldehyde gas -- headaches, burning eyes, double and triple vision, chronic diarrhea, memory loss, depression and muscle aches.

Her family has since replaced their cupboards and carpet. McFeely said the gas was being absorbed by the carpet after being released from the cupboards and then it was released again in warm weather. The replacement materials don't contain plywood or particle board and the carpet is made from corn, she said.

McFeely said her older home tests at a formaldehyde gas level three times higher than what is considered safe.

According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, a "very small percentage of the population appears to be particularly sensitive to formaldehyde, not unlike an allergy. Nearly 8 million families enjoy using RVs right now and there are very, very few complaints of air quality."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, formaldehyde is frequently used in plywood, fiberboard, resins, glues and other construction components, and in 1982, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission called for a ban on urea foam formaldehyde insulation and its use dropped by the mid-1980s.

The CDC reports that the formaldehyde used in pressed wood products has changed and the resins containing the chemical aren't as widely used now. The CDC also reports that studies show emission rates decline in a home's first year, suggesting that off-gassing continues for extended periods of time but decreases as the home ages.

McFeely doesn't believe the government standards have changed and is frustrated because she has contacted her senators, congressman and the governor to no avail. She hopes to give the victims she has been in contact with a louder voice.

Becky Gillette, the Sierra Club's formaldehyde campaign director, said she has heard stories like McFeely's from people around the country. Many of the victims live in modular homes, mobile homes or travel trailers, but she has also heard from a woman who bought high-end children's furniture that tested high for formaldehyde gas.

She said there are no government standards or regulations for formaldehyde gas.

Not everyone who is exposed to the gas gets sick immediately, she said. Some have reported getting cancer years after being exposed.

This is a long-standing issue and the Sierra Club has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency for particle board standards, something the state of California has already done, she said.

"It's a step in the right direction," she said.



If you go

Nebraska Victims of Formaldehyde Gas

What: Informational/organizational meeting

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Harriet McFeely's home at 1205 E. 42nd St., Hastings

Questions: (402)463-6640 or (402)705-0000