Federal agency releases names of problem Chinese drywall makers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has released the names of the drywall manufacturers whose drywall emitted high levels of hydrogen sulfide in testing conducted for the agency by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. There is a strong association between hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion, reports the commission.

Of the samples tested, the top 10 reactive sulfur-emitting drywall samples were all produced in China. Some of the Chinese drywall had emission rates of hydrogen sulfide 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall samples, according to the commission.

"Homeowners who have problem drywall in their homes are suffering greatly," said Commission Chair Inez Tenenbaum in an announcement about the release of drywall manufacturers’ names." I appeal to these Chinese drywall companies to carefully examine their responsibilities to U.S. families who have been harmed and do what is fair and just."

At the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue meetings in Beijing May 24 and 25, U.S. officials pressed the Chinese government to facilitate a meeting between the commission and the Chinese drywall companies whose products were used in U.S. homes and had high emissions during testing.

The following list identifies the top 10 drywall samples tested that had the highest emissions of hydrogen sulfide, along with the manufacturer and the year of manufacture, from highest to lowest.

· Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (year of manufacture 2005) China

· Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China

· Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2005) China

· Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (2006) China

· Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China

· Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China

· Shandong Chenxiang GBM Co. Ltd. (C&K Gypsum Board): (2006) China

· Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM): (2009) China

· Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2009) China

· Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2009) China

Other Chinese drywall samples had low or no detectable emissions of hydrogen sulfide as did the drywall samples tested that were manufactured domestically. They include:

· Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin: (2009) China

· Tiger ShiGao JianCai liangpianzhuang: (2006) China

· USG Corporation: (2009) U.S.

· Guangdong Knauf New Building Material Products Co. Ltd.: (2009) China

· Knauf Plasterboard (Wuhu) Co. Ltd.: (2009) China

· CertainTeed Corp.: (2009) U.S.

· Georgia Pacific Corp.: (2009) U.S.

· Dragon Brand, Beijing New Building Materials Co. Ltd.: (2006) China

· CertainTeed Corp.: (2009) U.S.

· Pingyi Baier Building Materials Co. Ltd.: (2009) China

· Panel Rey S.A.: (2009) Mexico

· Lafarge North America: (2009) U.S.

· National Gypsum Company: (2009) U.S.

· National Gypsum Company: (2009) U.S.

· Georgia Pacific Corp.: (2009) U.S.

· Pabco Gypsum: (2009) U.S.

· Temple-Inland Inc.: (2009) U.S.

· USG Corporation: (2009) U.S.

Last month, the commission released the results of drywall emissions tests by Berkley Laboratory. The studies showed a connection between certain Chinese drywall and corrosion in homes.

In addition, the patterns of reactive sulfur compounds emitted from drywall samples show a clear distinction between certain Chinese drywall samples manufactured in 2005/2006 and other Chinese and non-Chinese drywall samples, the commission reports.

The commission has spent more than $5 million to investigate the chemical nature and the chain of commerce of problem drywall. Earlier this year, the commission and the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued an identification protocol to help consumers identify problem drywall in their homes.

Last month, the commission and department issued remediation guidance to assist impacted homeowners.

See the chart listing drywall chamber test results.

Also last month, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana awarded seven plaintiffs $2,609,130 for damage to their homes in connection with the use of Chinese drywall, reports ConsumerAffairs.com. The suit was brought against Chinese manufacturer Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd.

Most of the homes affected by the defective drywall are in the Southeast. In many cases, the affected homes were built or remodeled after Hurricane Katrina.

Copyright 2010, Rita R. Robison

Comments

[quail hill irvine]

I appeal to these Chinese drywall companies to carefully examine their responsibilities to U.S. families who have been harmed and do what is fair and just.