In an article titled "Embalmed in Your RV: Formaldehyde Poisons Vacationers", an ABC News reporter aptly describes how the toxic chemical used in cabinetry can cause respiratory distress - and even cancer.
JD Gallant, co-founder of RV Consumer Group, wrote about the harmful effects of formaldehyde in the 1980's. It is amazing to us that the RV industry is still using such a known carcinogen when building structures that, for whatever the reasons, thousands of consumers are using as temporary or permanent homes. This is yet another proof of how the RV industry has remained largely unregulated - and avoiding the standards set for manufactured homes.
Please read the article and share it with friends, family, and RV forums. Be sure to add your comments at the end of the article and, please, thank ABC and reporter Susan Donaldson James for such a well-written and informative article.
I can personally say from experiences..that..Between an brand new Airstream and, another SOB brand (it shall remain nameless unless you pm me) that arrived at a RV dealership..The SOB were always filled heaven high with an formaldehyde like fume. So powerful in fact that, it would almost knock you out. The solution to the problem in all cases was to vent the unit for several day. That would take care of the worse of it. None of the AS that I personally inspected ever had anything close to the same level as the other SOB brand unit.
This topic came up as recently as last weekend. I've been around one story a TV investigative team was going skyrockets over. There was no expose to be had once they realized the populist view had been thoroughly researched by the profession involved. The reporter got the scoop from a professor friend of mine while motioning the crew to take down the lights and tripods.
Search the forums on formaldehyde -- this has been talked about in a number of ways. I suspect most of the 'new car smell' is from plasticizers in the roll flooring.
Leave your Airstream closed for 2-3 months, then go inside. There are strong fumes that when kept closed for a while build up. Burns the eyes, and throat. Now keep in mind I have a Safari without real wood like the Classics FWIW.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
This just in! (from Wikipedia): "Small amounts of formaldehyde are produced as a metabolic byproduct in most organisms, including humans." Air out your Airstream and camping partner if they've been baking in the sun.
Melody Ranch. Karma to ya!! I still remember Mekong whisky. sampled some a few months ago at a Brit friends house. Local San Miguel and Vietnamese bom-de-boms (33's) also contain a lot of formaldehyde! Airstreams (esp classics) don't!
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Rgds,
Scott Air 16426
Fully retired now!
Remember:
Never start anything before noon and always plan on being finished by 5.
I will never HAVE to be anywhere ever again!
Don't drink Mekong whiskey inside or near it. Formaldahyde was reported to be a major ingrediant. Only a few of us will understand this.
and for the great head on a Moosehead.
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Like a couple of Balboas we headed into the wild pavement of yonder with a monstous piece of aluminum hooked to our rear end. "The Long, Long Trailer".
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