It has been confirmed that fumes from defective Chinese drywall are causing air conditioning coils and other metals to corrode in some Florida homes. While sulfur emissions from the drywall are behind the corrosion problems, a study conducted by Environ International Corp. maintains the material poses no health hazards. Environ International was hired by Lennar Corp., one of the biggest builders in South Florida, to test homes built with the defective Chinese drywall.

Over the past several months, owners of newer homes in South Florida have been complaining of drywall that smells like rotten eggs. In several cases, they have had to leave their home because the smell was so bad. In addition to the putrid smell, many South Florida homeowners have reported problems with air conditioning and other systems that are likely related to the defective Chinese drywall. Some spent hundreds – even thousands of dollars – to have air conditioning, pipes and wiring repaired.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, is the company at the center of Florida’s drywall problems.

According to BradentonHerald.com, homes built by Lennar and Taylor Morrison are at the center of many drywall complaints. Lennar has acknowledged the problems, and says it will replace drywall, as well as air conditioning, pipes and wiring damaged by the fumes. The developer also said it would cover relocation costs of families who must move while repairs are made.

According to a report on HeraldTribune.com, the tests conducted by Environ International on some of the Lennar homes last year found three sulfide gases – carbon disulfide, carbonyl sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide, a particularly dangerous compound with a characteristic rotten-eggs smell, was not found in Environ’s air tests, but it was found in previous testing that the company conducted on the Chinese drywall itself

“We have definitely identified that a combination of sulfide gases are the cause of the corrosion of the coils,” said Robert P. DeMott, managing principal of Environ, told HeraldTribune.com. “The substances we’ve found are well known to cause that kind of corrosion.”

However, DeMott maintained that the tests showed the levels of fumes were below what would be considered a health hazard.

Not everyone is convinced that the drywall fumes in homes are not a threat to health. Michael Foreman, head of Sarasota construction consulting firm Foreman & Associates, told HeraldTribune.com that he is disturbed by reports that residents in homes built with the defective drywall are experiencing respiratory discomfort and other problems.

“If that’s the case, then why is everybody getting sick?” Foreman said. “Why do they all have the same problems? If it’s caustic enough to eat up the components in the house, then I can only imagine it must have some effect on your body.”

Forman also maintained that it can be difficult to get accurate readings on air quality tests.

The problem with Chinese Drywall is not improving and now, according to a number of real estate attorneys and environmental testing firms, there are at least 20 builders in the southwest Florida area that are known to use Chinese Drywall, reports MSNBC.

CBS4 Miami also reports that one of the builders—Lennar Corporation, says, to date, it has identified about 80 homes in the area which were likely built using the defective Chinese Drywall. And, yesterday, the Bradenton Herald reported that a class-action suit was filed in Florida’s Sarasota County and complaints registered with the Florida Department of Health increased from 30 to 54.

The Chinese-made drywall contains sulfur, said MSNBC, and plagues houses with odious, rotten egg-like smells. The sulfur also emits a gas that corrodes metal and which appears to be linked to a variety of wiring, pipe, and air conditioning problems.

And, while some involved in the debacle claim that the defective Chinese Drywall does not pose health and safety problems, consumers are complaining about problems that seem to lift when they are away from the toxic Chinese Drywall. Also, the Florida Department of Health says that current emission levels from drywall testing pose “no immediate health threat.” Those exposed to the problem disagree. Health concerns and health problems reported include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds, irritated eyes, and headaches. Of very serious concern is the possibility that the Chinese Drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness, and even death.

The defective Chinese Drywall was, for the most part, produced by Knauf, said MSNBC. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China maintains that its defective Chinese Drywall is safe and homeowner damage must be from some other source. But, yesterday, the Bradenton Herald has reported that Michael Foreman, a construction consultant for Sarasota’s Foreman & Associates, Inc., said the Knauf plasterboard is, in fact, defective. Foreman also said that a sample he reviewed was found to contain a marking for an outdated standard: “ASTM C36.”

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an international standards organization that develops standards for products and materials, said the Bradenton Herald, which explained that the C36 standard was replaced over four years ago with “ASTM C1396.” The Bradenton Herald also noted a piece of very interesting information: The C36 drywall was produced in March 2006, two years after that standard was changed.

One homeowner noticed that her jewelry was quickly tarnishing and asked her builder to take a look at the house, said MSNBC. He told her, “You have what we’re looking for,” said MSNBC, which noted that the builder identified 80 homes with the drywall and is conducting testing at another 40.

Meanwhile, said MSNBC, builders say they rely on subcontractors and suppliers to ensure materials they use are safe and meet Florida building codes, while subcontractors and suppliers say they rely on manufacturers. Also, the building code has no requirement for drywall inspection by any entity along the chain regardless of the country of origin.

Complaints from homeowners over defective Chinese Drywall continue and now a class-action suit has been filed in Sarasota County in Florida, the Bradenton Herald has reported, noting that complaints registered with the Florida Health Department have grown from 30 to 54 and include homes from all over the state.

Hundreds of homeowners have been plagued by odious smells and ongoing wiring, pipe, and air conditioning problems due to defective Chinese Drywall. Worse, consumers are complaining about health problems that seem to lift when they are away from the toxic Chinese Drywall. Health concerns include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds, irritated eyes, and headaches. Of very serious concern, is the possibility that the Chinese Drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness, and even death.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China is a manufacturer implicated in this fiasco. Knauf maintains that its defective Chinese Drywall is safe and homeowner damage must be from some other source. But, now, the Bradenton Herald has reported that Michael Foreman, a construction consultant for Sarasota’s Foreman & Associates, Inc., said the Knauf plasterboard is defective. Foreman also said that a sample he reviewed was found to contain a marking for an outdated standard: “ASTM C36.” The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an international standards organization that develops standards for products and materials, said the Bradenton Herald, which explained that the C36 standard was replaced over four years ago with “ASTM C1396.” The Bradenton Herald also noted a piece of very interesting information: The C36 drywall was produced in March 2006, two years after that standard was changed.

It seems the problem started because of a shortage of U.S.-made drywall. Builders began using imports from China that likely were kept at sea for months pending approval to enter the U.S. Some believe the continuous humidity is, in part, responsible for the fumes. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during Florida’s construction boom of 2004-2005.

Meanwhile, Foreman told the Bradenton Herald that not all Chinese Drywall is problematic, “There are several manufacturers of the Chinese drywall. Not all are bad.” Foreman also found that some American drywall may pose problems because some parts were manufactured in China. Also, the Bradenton Herald reported that the Gypsum Association confirmed that China imported about 300 million square feet of gypsum board into the U.S. from 2006-2007; during that period, nearly 68 billion square feet was used in this country and about 65 billion square feet produced domestically. Foreman that while not all imported drywall from this period was made by Knauf, a significant amount was. “In my opinion, there are few, if any builders, that won’t be affected by this,” Foreman told the Bradenton Herald.

Problems with the defective Chinese Drywall have been reported in homes developed by Lennar Homes and Taylor Morrison. The class-action lawsuit has been filed against one of the builders, Taylor Morrison, for monetary damages for “severe structural damage to the homes, electrical wiring, plumbing, metal components, and personal property,” reported the Bradenton Herald.

Hundreds of Florida homeowners have been plagued by odious smells and ongoing wiring, pipe, and air conditioning problems—corroding air conditioning coils and deteriorating pipes and wiring—due to defective Chinese Drywall. Worse, consumers are complaining about a wide variety of health problems that seem to lift when they are away from the toxic Chinese Drywall. Health concerns include an array of respiratory problems, nosebleeds and irritated eyes, and headaches. The defective Chinese Drywall smells very strongly of putrid eggs

It is possible that the Chinese Drywall is emitting excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide fumes, which can cause extreme irritation, unconsciousness, and even death when exposed to amounts of 50 parts per million for more than 10 minutes.

The problem started because of a shortage of U.S.-made drywall. Builders began using imports from China that likely were kept at sea for months pending approval to enter the U.S. Some believe the continuous humidity is, in part, responsible for the fumes. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during Florida’s construction boom of 2004-2005.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China is a manufacturer implicated in this fiasco. Knauf maintains that its defective Chinese Drywall is safe and homeowner damage must be from some other source, although Knauf is unable to describe what else could be to blame for the myriad problems and complaints continue to pour in from many areas in Florida and in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

According to a report in the South Florida Business Journal, at least one developer in the county has said it did buy drywall from Knauf and, in turn, supplied tainted drywall to builders in southwest Florida, where the drywall complaints originated. Lennar Corp., the nation’s second-largest builder by volume, reportedly built many Florida homes afflicted with Chinese Drywall problems and, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Lennar is testing, and continues to test, a dozen of its Florida developments and has shared results with the state health department. The company has also relocated several families in order to rip out and replace the drywall in their homes. Other builders, suppliers, and manufacturers are likely involved as well.

According to BradentonHerald.com, the Florida Health Department has received nearly 40 complaints from homeowners statewide. In a number of cases, homeowners have had to leave their homes. Also, according to BradentonHerald.com, homes built by Lennar Homes and Taylor Morrison are at the center of many of the complaints, with about 80 Lennar Homes confirmed contaminated with the defective Chinese Drywall; the developer has plans to test 40 more homes, according to the website. Lennar has acknowledged the problems, and says it will replace drywall, as well as air conditioning, pipes, and wiring damaged by the fumes and would also cover relocation costs for families who must move while repairs are made.

Lennar hired a Tampa environmental firm to conduct the testing and said in a statement that sulfur compounds inside the home tested are “far below even the most stringent government health and safety standards.” The BradentonHerald.com said some residents are not convinced, and have unable to view Lennar’s testing information.

Problems with foul-smelling Chinese drywall are now being reported in South Florida’s Miami-Dade County. According to a report in the South Florida Business Journal, at least one developer in the county has said it did buy drywall from Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China. That company supplied tainted drywall to builders in southwest Florida, where the drywall complaints originated.

According to the Business Journal article, the first Miami-Dade drywall reports came from Homestead’s Keys Gate development. A representative of South Kendall Construction, the developer of Keys Gate, told the Business Journal that the company did buy drywall from Knauf that was used in the development. Like other developers, South Kendall purchased the Chinese drywall because of a shortage of U.S.-made material that occurred between 2004 and 2006.

According to the Business Journal, problems with drywall have been reported in the Augusta Greens and Pine Isles areas of Keys Gate. Drywall may be pulled out of three homes the, but the developer does not know how many homes might ultimately be affected, the report said.

In addition to the putrid smell, many Florida homeowners have reported problems with air conditioning and other systems that are likely related to the defective Chinese drywall. Reports indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals.

Knauf has issued a statement insisting that the sulfur-like smell coming out of its drywall poses no dangers. The company maintains that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of drywall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

According to BradentonHerald.com, the Florida Health Department has received 39 such complaints, many from homeowners in Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, St. Lucie, Collier and Lee counties.

The Florida Health Department has receive more complaints about foul smelling Chinese drywall from South Florida homeowners. According to BradentonHerald.com, the department has received 39 such complaints, many from homeowners in Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, St. Lucie, Collier and Lee counties.

Over the past several months, owners of newer homes in South Florida have been complaining of drywall that smells like rotten eggs. In several cases, they have had to leave their home because the smell was so bad. In addition to the putrid smell, many South Florida homeowners have reported problems with air conditioning and other systems that are likely related to the defective Chinese drywall. Reports indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals. Some spent hundreds – even thousands of dollars – to have air conditioning, pipes and wiring repaired.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during that time.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, is the company at the center of Florida’s drywall problems. Knauf has issued a statement insisting that the sulfur-like smell coming out of its drywall poses no dangers. The company maintains that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of drywall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

According to BradentonHerald.com, homes built by Lennar Homes and Taylor Morrison are at the center of many drywall complaints. At least 80 Lennar Homes have the contaminated drywall, and the developer has plans to test 40 more, the website said. Lennar has acknowledged the problems, and says it will replace drywall, as well as air conditioning, pipes and wiring damaged by the fumes. The developer also said it would cover relocation costs of families who must move while repairs are made.

Lennar has hired a Tampa environmental firm to conduct testing on the homes. The developer said in a statement that sulfur compounds inside the home tested are “far below even the most stringent government health and safety standards.” However, BradentonHerald.com said some residents are not convinced, and have unable to view Lennar’s testing information.

A dozen homes in South Florida are slated to have defective Chinese drywall replaced. Lennar Homes, the nation’s second largest builder by volume, has apparently acknowledged the problem, and is promising to absorb all costs related to the drywall replacement, including relocation expenses for people living in the houses.

Over the past several months, owners of newer homes in South Florida have been complaining of drywall that smells like rotten eggs. The Florida Health Department said it has received at least 30 reports of smells and other problems connected with the Chinese drywall issues. About 2 percent of those involved health complaints.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during that time.

In addition to the putrid smell, many South Florida homeowners have reported problems with air conditioning and other systems that are likely related to the defective Chinese drywall. Reports indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals. Many Florida homeowners have spent hundreds – even thousands of dollars – to have air conditioning, pipes and wiring repaired.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, is the company at the center of Florida’s drywall problems. Knauf has issued a statement insisting that the sulfur-like smell coming out of its drywall poses no dangers. The company maintains that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of drywall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

According to report on news-press.com, people living in a dozen Lennar homes are being relocated so the builder can replace drywall. A statement from Lennar also said it intends to replace damaged fixtures in the homes, which could include plumbing, electrical wiring and air conditioning systems.

The builder has also identified 80 of its homes in Southwest Florida that appear to contain the suspect drywall and is investigating 40 more, news-press.com said. About 30 of the 80 Lennar homes confirmed to have the drywall are in Lennar’s Heritage Harbor development in east Manatee County, the report said. Lennar has hired a Tampa environmental firm to conduct testing on the homes.

A statement from Lennar also maintained that the Chinese drywall was installed by independent contractors, and claimed that it did not know the material was imported from China. The builder said it intends to “to take all necessary actions” to hold manufacturers or suppliers of the defective drywall responsible.

Of course, Lennar is not the only builder in South Florida that may have used defective Chinese drywall. According to newspress.com, at least one other builder, Aubuchon Homes, had moved a family out of their Fort Meyers home in December because of drywall problems.

Florida homeowners dealing with the defective Chinese drywall will face severe economic consequences that go far beyond the cost of air conditioning repairs. The real estate collapse has already hit the state hard, with home values dropping significantly. The values of homes built with toxic drywall will likely drop even more, and could be extremely difficult to sell. At least one law firm with an office in Florida, Parker Waichman Alonso LLP, has indicated it intends to file a class action lawsuit seeking economic damages from builders, suppliers and others responsible for the drywall disaster.

Defective Chinese drywall has not yet turned up in any South Florida schools, according to a recent report on Naples.com. Since the drywall problems surfaced, several Florida school districts, including Collier County, Lee County and Manatee County, have been checking buildings built since 2004 for signs of the toxic building material.

Owners of newer homes in South Florida have been complaining of drywall that smells like rotten eggs. The Florida Health Department said it has received at least 30 reports of smells and other problems connected with the Chinese drywall issues. About 2 percent of those involved health complaints.

Reports indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals, and may cause health problems from chronic exposure. It has been determined that the drywall responsible for these problems was imported from China.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during that time.

According Naples.com, no Chinese drywall has been found in schools built during the housing boom years. According to Naples.com, Collier County School District has reviewed 18 projects, including eight new schools Lee County surveyed 19 projects in December, and Manatee County completed its check Wednesday. All three determined they were not recipients of the suspect drywall, Naples.com said.

Representatives from Martin, Sarasota, Broward and Palm Beach districts told Naples.com they had no reason to believe they received any Chinese-made drywall because of certain school construction requirements. Officials from Miami-Dade, Pinellas and St. Lucie school districts could not be reached for comment, the report said.

One reason that Chinese drywall might not be in schools is that such buildings use fire-retardant drywall. That variety may not have been imported from China, but it is impossible to say for sure. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, the company at the center of Florida’s drywall problems, has not said if it imported this type of drywall to the U.S., Naples.com said.

Meanwhile, many Florida homeowners are still coping with their own drywall problems. According to Naples.com, most of the complaints received by the health department have come from Lee and Manatee counties. Of those, six came from one street in Bradenton located in a Lennar community called Heritage Harbour.

Naples.com said the health department is in talks with Lennar and Knauf to try to find a solution to the drywall problems. It is also working with the Southeast region of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the report said.

A Florida law firm is fielding a lot of calls these days from homeowners dealing with defective Chinese drywall. According to Jordan Chaikin, an associate with Parker Waichman Alonso LLP in Bonita Springs, the number of dry wall inquiries the firm has received has grown as media reports of dry wall problems in South Florida have become more frequent.

“With more publicity, more people have been contacting us,” Chaikin said. “Many people didn’t realize the problems they were having in their homes could have been because of drywall.”

Those problems include an odor in new homes that many people have described as rotten eggs, as well as corroded air conditioning coils, pipes and wiring. Chaikin said today that Parker Waichman expects to take on several clients, and most likely will be filing a class action lawsuit on their behalf in federal court in the near future.

Drywall is the board used to make interior walls. Owners of new homes – mostly in South Florida, but some in Virginia as well – have been reported the rotten egg smell. Other accounts indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals, and may cause health problems from chronic exposure.

According to Chaikin, the drywall responsible for these problems was imported from China and came to the U.S. through the port of Tampa. Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, manufactured the defective drywall, he said.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Chaikin said the inquiries Parker Waichman has received involved homes built during the height of Florida’s construction boom.

Chaikin indicated that the problems with drywall have put many Florida homeowners in dire financial straits. “The Florida housing market is already in trouble, and foreclosures are very high,” he said. “People with these problems are worried that no one will ever want to buy their houses.”

Chaikin said that odors in some homes are so bad that residents have had to move out, adding to their financial stress, as they must continue to pay their mortgages. This – along with costly repairs for air conditioning and other systems damaged by drywall fumes – has left many Florida families on the verge of financial disaster.

For that reason, the Parker Waichman class action lawsuit will likely seek economic damages from builders, manufacturers and others responsible for the defective Chinese drywall making its way to Florida homes. Chaikin added that most of the inquiries received by his firm have involved economic losses, rather than health problems caused by drywall fumes. “But that could change over time,” Chaikin said. “Any complaint we file will include personal injury damages as well.”

More and more Florida homeowners are reporting putrid odors in their homes that could be connected to defective Chinese drywall. According to a report on LakewoodRanchHerald.com, health officials have received at least 30 complaints from around the state. Meanwhile, a consumer advocacy group which has been hearing from worried Florida homeowners says legislation may be needed to protect consumers, the Website reports.

Drywall is the board used to make interior walls. Owners of new homes – mostly in South Florida, but some in Virginia as well – have been complaining of drywall that smells like rotten eggs. Reports indicate that the drywall emits a sulfur compound that corrodes wiring, air conditioning coils and other metals, and may cause health problems from chronic exposure. It has been determined that the drywall responsible for these problems was imported from China.

Usually, drywall is manufactured in the United States, but a shortage between 2004 and 2006 prompted many builders to buy drywall from China. Most of the reported problems stem from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. One official with a large building supply company recently told a Florida newspaper that more than 10-million square feet of the Chinese drywall was imported to southwest Florida during that time.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China, a subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Knauf, is the company at the center of Florida’s drywall problems. Knauf has issued a statement insisting that the sulfur-like smell coming out of its drywall poses no dangers. The company maintains that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of drywall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health told LakewoodRanchHerald.com that the state is still receiving reports of drywall problems from residents. Less than two percent of the calls concern health problems, and cause for the symptoms have not been determined. So far, the health department has not conducted any testing.

According to LakewoodRanchHerald.com, the Community Advocacy Network has been receiving calls about drywall problems for the past three weeks. “We think this is going to be a big problem. We think it will probably be addressed legislatively at some point,” the group’s Executive Director Donna Berger told the Web site.

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, told LakewoodranchHerald.com that he is unsure whether the matter will go before the legislature or be handled by the Florida Building Commission, which reviews and approves products for construction use in Florida.

Drywall made in China is reportedly causing problems for Florida homeowners. According to reports in The Wall Street Journal and local media, the Chinese dry wall has caused unpleasant odors in many homes, and fumes from the dry wall have destroyed electrical wiring and air conditioning units.

According to a report on news-press.com, The Florida Health Department first became aware of the Chinese drywall problem three months ago, and notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in August. The problem appears to be mainly from drywall imported from China during Florida’s construction boom years of 2004-2005. In some Florida developments, the drywall issue emerged after months of failures in heating and cooling systems. Many homeowners have complained about the presence of a sulfur odor, and others have said that the fumes from the Chinese drywall are corroding air-conditioner coils, computer wiring and metal picture frames, The Wall Street Journal said.

According to The Wall Street Journal, many of the Florida homes that are the subject of complaints were built by Lennar Corp., the nation’s second-largest builder by volume. Lennar is testing, and continues to test, a dozen of its Florida developments and has shared results with the state health department, the Journal said. The company has relocated several families in order to rip out and replace the drywall in their homes.

Many Florida homeowners experiencing these problems are understandably concerned about potential health effects of the dry wall fumes. According to a report on Environmental Expert.com, the drywall is made from gypsum. The problems appear to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits, the Web site said. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Florida Health Department says tests show that the levels of emissions from the drywall pose no “immediate health threat.”

Florida homeowners are also concerned that the dry wall issues will affect the value of their houses, as well as their ability to sell. Many are already dealing with decimated real estate values as a result of the collapse of the housing market, the Journal said.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China is the company at the center of Florida’s dry wall problems. The company issued a statement last week insisting that sulfur-like smell coming out of its dry wall poses no dangers. However, Knauf Plasterboard insists that the damage done to air conditioning and electrical wiring is the result of dry wall made by some other company – though it has been unable to name which one.

Knauf Plasterboard also insisted that the dry wall problems are confined to Florida, but last week, the EPA revealed it was looking into similar reports in Virginia Beach, Virginia.