My sister purchased a new mobile home 3 years ago. At first she only used it over weekends. She became ill and complained of a strong odor after she began to live in it full time, Though no longer living in the mobile home, she nevertheless becomes ill after being in it for as little as 30 minutes. She has contacted the mobile home company, but they refuse to do anything about it. What can she do? - Concerned Sister, Karen

Mobile homes have had a long history of being contaminated with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a potent sensory irritant that causes irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, sinuses, as well as the lower respiratory system (cough, shortness of breath, chest pain). It can also cause headaches, fatigue, disturbed sleep, and diarrhea. It can also predispose one to infections of the eyes and sinuses.

These symptoms can all be caused by formaldehyde at relatively low exposure levels (< 0.10 ppm). The odor of formaldehyde is distinctive. It is often masked in mobile homes by the smell of the wood materials used in it, such as particleboard floor decking, wood cabinet materials, furniture made from pressed wood (particleboard, hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard). Formaldehyde is released from the glue used to bond these materials.

Fortunately for most individuals who reside in mobile homes (save your sister and others) formaldehyde levels in today's mobile homes are only a fraction of what was commonly the case in the 80s.

Formaldehyde levels in new mobile homes (though they are historically lower) vary considerably depending on the company that manufactures a particular mobile home. Typically in mobile homes constructed today, the major source of formaldehyde is particleboard decking (about 50% of new mobile homes have particleboard decking) and/or materials that were used to construct your cabinets (and maybe furniture as well).

Cabinets in mobile homes may be constructed from wood paneling, particleboard, and medium-density fiberboard. It is not uncommon that all three wood products are present. They all can be potent emitters of formaldehyde.

The odor of formaldehyde should, in such cases, be stronger inside kitchen and bath cabinets.

Formaldehyde levels decrease with time, by as much as 50-75% over a period of 3 years. Given the fact that your sister still has problems, it is probable that she is very sensitive to formaldehyde. As such, it is very doubtful that she could ever live in her mobile home.

Formaldehyde levels in mobile homes are high on warm, humid days and reach their lowest values on cool/cold winter days. They can be reduced significantly by ventilating a home by opening windows. That is at best a short-term solution.

When your sister purchased the mobile home, the manufacturer was required by federal regulations to post a health notice in a prominent location indicating the health concerns associated with formaldehyde. This health notice should also have been in the owner's manual.

The issue of formaldehyde-related health problems in mobile homes goes back 20 years. Manufacturers and sellers of mobile homes, as well as producers of urea-formaldehyde-bonded wood products, have consistently denied that formaldehyde constitutes a public health problem. As such, the response that your sister received from the mobile home company is not unexpected.

So what does one do with a mobile home that you can't live in? Some individuals default on loan payments and have the loan company repossess it. That solves one problem and creates a new one (bad credit rating). Others sue the dealer, manufacturer, or both. There have been hundreds of such lawsuits over the years. Fortunately for plaintiffs most cases settle out of court.

In some cases a lawsuit is the only avenue available to an individual who has purchased a product that is dangerous to them. However, lawsuits often take years to settle,( typically 4-5 years). There are no guarantees that justice will be served when the claim is meritorious. The legal system is in theory about truth and justice. Like most other things in life, it is influenced by larger forces (like winning and not losing)

April 13, 2000