ROCKLAND – A Maine Eastern Railroad executive said Wednesday that the presence of formaldehyde inside the homes near the local train station and in the surrounding atmosphere is neither the fault nor the individual responsibility of the railroad.

“The time has come for the finger-pointing to stop,” said Gordon Page, vice president and director of passenger operations for the railroad. He made the statement to the Rockland City Council in response to published reports of a recent study showing an elevated presence of formaldehyde in the air of homes around the station. The study indicated that passenger train diesel locomotives emitted the noxious fumes.

Members of Clean Air for Rockland, a group of residents who have complained for two years about harmful effects from diesel fumes from the train’s locomotives, conducted the formaldehyde study in August. The complainers represent a small number of the 120 families living near the station, Page said.

Pointing out that formaldehyde occurs in nature and in manufactured products, Page said, “The presence of formaldehyde should be a surprise to no one because it is a byproduct of all kinds of combustion, including that of fossil fuel and solid fuels.

“This includes heating oil, gas, gasoline, coal, and wood harvested for the purpose of home heating,” he said. “Emissions from locomotives are one small source of formaldehyde.

“Formaldehyde is naturally occurring. Trees and plants in their natural state emit formaldehyde,” Page added. “Some vegetables, like brussels sprouts and cabbage, emit formaldehyde when they are cooked.”

Page acknowledged that many studies have investigated the potential health effects of formaldehyde, including those conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Formaldehyde Institute. Both organizations supported studies that suggest an association with cancer in groups of workers with long-term, high exposure.

He noted the presence of a working waterfront, the fire station and its diesel-powered emergency vehicles, heavy equipment, construction and excavation operators, and a seaweed processing plant within a mile of the train depot as other sources of formaldehyde.

“The Maine Eastern Railroad is not the sole source of airborne contaminants, whether they are diesel emissions or any other contaminant,” he said.