- During the housing boom, more than 500 million pounds
of possibly defective Chinese drywall was imported to the U.S. According
to the Associated Press, that was enough material to build around 100,000
homes. The Chinese drywall was likely used throughout the country, and
it could be years before the true scale of the problem is known.
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- Chinese drywall reportedly emits sulfur fumes that produce
a "rotten eggs" odor and cause metals, such as air conditioning
coils, to corrode. The fumes have also been associated with respiratory
and sinus problems in some residents. In some homes, the drywall problems
have been so severe that families have had to move, and some builders have
begun gutting and replacing drywall in the buildings.
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- In Florida, where drywall complaints first surfaced,
tests conducted by the state health department found that samples of Chinese
drywall contained higher levels of sulfuric and organic compounds than
an American-made sample. The Chinese samples contained traces of strontium
sulfide while the American sample did not. Strontium sulfide is a gray
powder that emits a hydrogen sulfide, or "rotten eggs," odor
when exposed to moist air. The three Chinese samples also contained higher
levels of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, and carbon disulfide than
the American drywall. All of these compounds are potentially toxic, and
carbon disulfide in liquid form is extremely flammable.
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- Usually, drywall is manufactured in the U.S., but the
rebuilding necessitated by the devastating 2006 hurricane season, and housing
boom that was occurring at the same time, prompted many builders to buy
drywall from China. Investigators are still trying to determine how much
drywall was imported. According to the AP, between 2004 and 2008, 540 million
pounds of Chinese drywall entered the U.S. In 2006 alone, enough Chinese
drywall was imported to build 340,000 homes.
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- So far, most of the drywall complaints have come from
southern states, where a warm, humid climate encourages the emission of
sulfur fumes. The Florida Health Department has received over 150 complaints
so far, though experts say as many as 35,000 homes may have used the material.
In Louisiana, there have been at least 350 reports. Complaints have also
come from Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia and North Carolina.
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- But it is likely Chinese drywall was used elsewhere.
In dryer, cooler areas of the country, it could be years before homeowners
begin seeing the problems associated with the material.
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- No one knows yet why the drywall is emitting sulfur fumes.
According to the Associated Press, the fact that it was made with fly ash
- a waste product of coal burning - could provide a clue. The process of
"scrubbing" the smokestack emissions creates calcium sulfate,
or gypsum, which can then used to make drywall. In the U.S., drywall is
also made from fly ash, but the material is taken from the smokestack,
where it is scrubbed. This produces a cleaner product. But in China, the
fly ash may have been obtained before it made its way to the smokestack.
according to the Associated Press, this creates a "less refined"
product.
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- So far, no one knows if people exposed to Chinese drywall
face long-term health consequences. The Florida Health Department says
more testing is needed. But according to the Associated Press, the Centers
for Disease Control says prolonged exposure to the compounds found in the
drywall, especially high levels of carbon disulfide, can cause breathing
problems, chest pains and even death; and can affect the nervous system.
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- The situation has prompted calls for government intervention.
The governors of both Florida and Louisiana have asked the feds to step
in, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission is in Florida testing drywall.
Bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress calling
for a recall and a ban on Chinese drywall. Others are advocating for financial
assistance for homeowners dealing with drywall problems.
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- This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at
5:41 am and is filed under Defective Products, Health Concerns.
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- http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/5591
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- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also my
new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health
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