Testing the trailers

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reconsidering its plan to use surplus hurricane-relief trailers to house Tennessee’s tornado victims. Good.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the trailers may pose a health threat because they contain high levels of formaldehyde – a preservative found in some building materials, like pressed wood products. The CDC is urging Gulf Coast hurricane survivors still living in the trailers to move out – particularly the elderly, families with children, asthmatics and others with chronic illness.

A day after the CDC’s announcement, a FEMA spokesman said the agency will not deliver any trailers to Tennessee until they can be tested for formaldehyde. Of course, FEMA plans to "air out" the trailers first, which could reduce levels of fumes before the testing.

Fortunately, the state will conduct a second round of air-quality tests on the units. And tornado victims will be given the option to reject the trailers and ask for another housing solution if they are concerned about potential health effects. This is an important protection for families with children and the ill.

If any of the new tests show unacceptable levels of chemical contamination, the trailers should stay parked.