Pressed wood released formaldehyde in trailers: CDC

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pressed wood products such as particle board are the main source of irritating formaldehyde fumes in trailers used to house disaster victims, according to a U.S. government report to be released on Wednesday. Such temporary housing should be designed with better ventilation, the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests, and current health and safety standards may not be enough to protect people. "Even though construction materials meet standards ... you have to be a little bit careful about how you use those construction materials. You could end up fostering high levels of formaldehyde," said CDC spokesman Glen Nowak in a telephone interview. Tens of thousands of people displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita along the U.S. Gulf... [read full story]