CDC enters fray of tainted trailers

0 Comments | USA TODAY, April, 2008 | by Ana Radelat

WASHINGTON -- The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was accused by lawmakers and a whistle-blower on Tuesday of watering down a report on the dangers of formaldehyde exposure.

"It was not acceptable science," said Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., a member of the House Science and Technology subcommittee on investigations and oversight.

The panel is examining the CDC's role in investigating the dangers of formaldehyde fumes in trailers and mobile homes distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house people displaced by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

Formaldehyde, a preservative sometimes used in building materials, has been linked to a series of health problems, including nosebleeds and breathing troubles....