Sat, Jul 19, 2008
 Stacie Boardman (left) strolls in the trailer park last month with her family. Her husband, Tim, works in the Phelps Dodge mine in Morenci. Stacie said she suffers headaches and that one of her sons has a rash from the formaldehyde found in the trailers used by copper miners. The Associated Press
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Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.21.2007
High amounts of formaldehyde have been found in trailers used by copper miners and their families living in Morenci in eastern Arizona.
Random tests conducted July 30 found formaldehyde levels ranging from 0.08 to 0.68 parts per million, according to a letter from Paul Boman, Phelps Dodge's health and safety manager.
Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen and known irritant.
The pungent gas can cause watery eyes, sore throats, nausea and breathing difficulty for sensitive individuals.
The chemical comes from glue used in the making of pressed-fiber products such as plywood, carpet, wall paneling and furniture found inside trailers. Miners and family members live rent-free in 100 company-owned trailers at villages in Morenci and nearby communities.
The company has responded to concerned workers by telling them to keep their windows open, run fans, or find someplace else to live.
Travel trailers set up in Morenci have been home to some miners and their families for six months.
"Me and the kids are sick constantly," said Cheryl Jordan, a Copper Verde resident who has two small children and a third on the way. "I don't know what to do. My husband wants us to move back to California (while he continues working at the mine).This place isn't safe for a newborn," Jordan said.
Another resident, Stacie Boardman, lives in the park with her husband and children.
Boardman said she suffers headaches and her son has rashes.
"Most of the symptoms listed, my family has them," she said.
"It's either live with it or quit, that's what they're telling us," Boardman said.
Kenneth Vaughn, a Phelps Dodge spokesman, said the company consulted with a medical expert on formaldehyde exposure and does not believe trailer residents face an imminent health risk.
Vaughn said indoor filter systems are being tested to determine whether chemical exposure can be reduced.
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