By Truman Lewis
ConsumerAffairs.com
May 25, 2010
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released a list of drywall manufacturers whose drywall emitted high levels of hydrogen sulfide in testing conducted for the agency. Of the samples tested, the top ten 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 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which conducted the tests for the CPSC. There is a strong association between hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion, blamed for damage to plumbing, heating and other essential elements in homes where the defective drywall was used.
"Homeowners who have problem drywall in their homes are suffering greatly", said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "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".
The defective drywall emits an egg-like sulfur smell, corrodes metal fixtures, and besides causing corrosion can contribute to health problems ranging from wheezing to asthma and even pneumonia.
The following list identifies the top 10 drywall samples tested that had the highest emissions of hydrogen sulfide, along with the identity of the manufacturer of the drywall 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
• Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2009) China
Other Chinese drywall samples had low or no detectable emissions of hydrogen sulfide as did tested samples that were manufactured domestically.
U.S. and Chinese officials met in Beijing in May to discuss the problem. The U.S. delegation pressed the Chinese government to arrange a meeting between CPSC and the Chinese drywall companies identified as producing defective drywall.
Last month, CPSC released the results of drywall emissions tests conducted by the Berkeley Labs. They showed 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.
Earlier this year, CPSC and HUD issued an identification protocol to help consumers identify problem drywall in their homes. Last month, CPSC and HUD issued remediation guidance to assist impacted homeowners.
Also last month, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana awarded seven Plaintiffs $2,609,129.99 for damage to their homes in connection with the use of Chinese drywall. The suit was brought against Chinese manufacturer Taishan Gypsum Co., Ltd.Attorneys for the plaintiffs said the ruling found that Chinese drywall from Taishan was different than domestic drywall because it had significantly higher average concentrations of strontium and detectable levels of elemental sulfur.
Most of the homes affected by the defective drywall are in the Southeast. In many cases, the affected homes were built or remodeled in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Some drywall OK
Chinese drywall samples and domestically-produced brands that showed little or not hydrogen sulfide emission in the Lawrence Berkeley tests included:
• Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin: (2009) China;
• Tiger ShiGao JianCailiangpianzhuang: (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.; and
• USG Corporation: (2009) U.S.
The complete test results are available online.
