Diabolical Chinese Drywall

Noxious, putrid odors seeping from walls, frightening health ailments, unbearable stress, financial disaster, pets dying and manipulation by those you trust are the ingredients for a Hollywood blockbuster. But this is not a movie or television mini-series. This is a diabolical Chinese drywall nightmare affecting thousands of undeserving homeowners in the United States.

It began as a “stinky rotten egg” smell with corroding pipes and wires in a few Florida homes. Now it has mushroomed into tribulation for afflicted residents of at least 21 states and the District of Columbia. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), just one of the investigative government agencies, has already received 608 complaints concerning Chinese drywall with most coming from Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia.

Itchy, irritated eyes and skin, breathing difficulties, persistent runny or bloody noses, numerous headaches, sinus infection, and asthma attacks are the major reported symptoms says the CPSC. Many consumers claim these maladies lessen or disappear when they vacate their house, but reappear once they apprehensively return home.

However, the federal agency is quick to point out that some of these symptoms resemble allergies or reactions to other in home pollutants so it is important to evaluate and differentiate before concluding that Chinese drywall is the culprit.

They add that they are aggressively undertaking a multi-tracked testing approach to assess the impact on human health and collected data will be the basis for a health risk assessment. Will scientific evidence correlate reported drywall chemical emissions with long-term health complications? When will we know?

How and why did America get into such a finger pointing mess? During the ‘build it and they will come’ era augmented by tumultuous hurricanes that damaged or annihilated innumerable homes and businesses, building was frenzied. The U.S. had the desire and manpower but lacked enough product.

Drywall or wallboard is a necessary component in the building industry. It is a layer of gypsum pressed between two sheets of paper used in ceiling and wall construction for homes and businesses. U.S. manufacturers could not produce enough to meet the overwhelming demand so millions of square feet of goods was purchased from abroad. It’s estimated that more than 500 million pounds of possibly deficient Chinese drywall entered America between 2004 and 2008. An associated press statement revealed that was enough material to build about 100,000 homes. And the price was extremely persuasive…cheaper than the unavailable American version.

Apparently, U.S. decision makers eschewed prudent judgment when they agreed to this arrangement. Alarming incidents of tainted Chinese toys, candy, and pet food had previously plagued many American consumers. Drywall would be permanent and not easily removed if questionable quality. Didn’t anyone consider that?

“From China’s customs side, there is no special inspection of exported drywall,” stated Sun Yong, Beijing Building Materials vice president, whose company shipped nearly 38 million pounds of wallboard to our country in 2006. Once it arrives on our shores, U.S. agencies don’t inspect it either. Federal authorities said there was no one ‘authority’ responsible for ensuring that imported drywall meets American standards.

One might surmise that lack of scrutiny and regulation is of paramount concern. It definitely is for the overwhelmed lot displaced from their homes…. incurring mental, emotional, physical, and financial hardship.

It’s debatable and inconclusive what is causing the gagging odor, illnesses, and corrosion of pipes, wires, household appliances, jewelry, etc., but finally, all the big relevant federal agencies are involved, as they well should be. The Center for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Product Safety Commission are attempting to sort this out…ascertaining probable and long-term health effects and investigating what is creating corrosion and other home damage. State health departments are actively seeking answers too. Definitive results will take awhile….an excruciatingly long time for those suffering…. some progress has been made but are these agencies doing enough?
Usually gypsum in drywall comes from mines but recently, more wallboard has been made of gypsum from a chemical process involving lime or limestone and gas from coal-fired power plants. Contaminants and sulfur found in power plant smokestacks are supposed to be removed in the process. Failure of proper removal is the cause of foul odors, respiratory complaints, and corrosion, according to some Chinese experts in building supplies.

Others contend phosphogypsum (calcium sulfate); a radioactive phosphorus substance is to blame. Banned for use in U.S. construction in 1989, the EPA says prolonged exposure to this radium-contained element can lead to a higher risk of lung cancer.

The aforementioned Sun Yong argued it didn’t matter whether the drywall was made with mined gypsum or phosphogypsum. But other Chinese building-material managers say the corrosion of metal and coils found in U.S. homes is consistent with wallboard made from the latter. They also contend that numerous drywall makers are mixing phosphogypsum in production.

U. S. health officials and independent experts claim phosphogypsum was not present in samples taken from Florida homes. So is the radioactive drywall topic moot? The Florida Health Department stated on their Chinese Drywall website that very low levels of radiation are consistent with materials derived from rocks. “This radiation is part of the natural background level in our environment.”

Thus, the controversy wages on but for now, the consensus seems to be that excessive levels of sulfur, strontium, and organic matter contained in Chinese drywall are the malefactors.

Government involvement, stellar legal representation, and plausible reasons for sickening unlivable conditions are slight immediate comfort for those physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially burdened.

Assistance from your trusted builder? Not likely. Many deviously make verbal misleading promises with no intention of fulfilling them. Read the fine print. It is often vague and ambiguous. Not only are some written agreement clauses unacceptable, they are also illegal.

The only thing that remains consistent with the unfortunate Chinese drywall fiasco is lack of responsibility throughout.