Is drywall from China making people sick?

Drywall manufactured in China and installed in Florida is the subject of a class action lawsuit.

The drywall may be emitting sulfuric odors, possibly exposing people to respiratory health problems, according to the article “Chinese Drywall a Threat to Homeowners?” on Consumer Affairs.com. The emissions can also corrode air conditioning coils and wiring, posing a potential risk of electric fire.

Nearly 100 complaints have been submitted by Florida residents to the state Department of Health about problems with drywall.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is conducting an investigation.

The suit accuses Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd., a China-based producer, of using fly ash, a waste material from Chinese power plants, in manufacturing the drywall, according to the article.

For details on the lawsuit, see Defective Chinese Drywall Lawsuit.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Comments

[Chris Hopkins]

I would like to learn the names of commercial building Contractors & Company's who purchased drywall from China in Iowa and surrounding States. I know someone who is very, very ill.

[Rita]

Hi Chris,

I checked with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and e-mailed you the agency's reply. I hope it helps.

Patty Davis from the commission said: "There have been very few complaints received from Midwestern States on this issue. As a result, our investigation has focused on the most impacted states – Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, and the Gulf states.

"As part of our investigation, we continue to receive information about alleged Chinese drywall in the supply chain.

"This information is preliminary and our investigators have little information about suppliers in the Midwest. The good news is that there is little indication that this is a major problem in the upper Midwest.

"The difficult part is that until the interagency Identification and Remediation protocol team begins identifying homes with this problem, the full extent will not be known.

"In the meantime, I hope you will share information from our DrywallResponse.gov website with your readers."

Thanks, Chris, for your comment.

Rita

[david heath]

My home in California has been seriously affected by toxic Chinese drywall and the repair costs are massive. The government refuse to acknowledge this as an issue and the insurance company are taking too long to resolve the problem. I feel I need a Chinese drywall attorney especially for these types of cases as drywall is a huge issue in holiday homes in California.