"I am totally against this, it's bordering on irresponsible, " says Chicago toxicologist Steven Aks .

FORBES: Marketing Fear

"It would have been totally irresponsible to have set about rebuilding somebody's house ... whilst the ground is shaking, only to have it severely damaged again or destroyed by the next quake that comes along, " said Tim Grafton, chief executive of the New Zealand Insurance Council, an industry group.

NPR: 2 Years On, Slow Quake Recovery In New Zealand