The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently conducted comparative testing on drywall manufactured in China and the United States. As reported here, here, and here, Chinese drywall emits fumes that allegedly smell like rotten eggs, cause health problems and corrode metal in thousands of new homes built between 2002 and 2007. Complaints have been registered nationwide but are concentrated in the Southeast, particularly in Florida.
Senators Bill Nelson of Florida and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana requested that the EPA test the drywall. The results, released on May 19, 2009, indicate that Chinese drywall contains sulfur, strontium and other substances that either do not exist or are found in much lower levels in United States drywall. As reported here, the Florida Department of Health previously tested Chinese drywall samples and found a corrosive compound described as strontium sulfide. The EPA also reports that the Chinese drywall samples contained organic material associated with acrylic paint, which was not found in the American samples.
In a news release Senator Nelson stated:
“We now know there are three things in there that aren’t in other drywall samples. We’ve got the what, and now we need the why and how do we fix it? In the end, I think all this stuff is going to have to be ripped out.”
Senator Nelson’s news release can be found by clicking here.
Senators Bill Nelson of Florida and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana requested that the EPA test the drywall. The results, released on May 19, 2009, indicate that Chinese drywall contains sulfur, strontium and other substances that either do not exist or are found in much lower levels in United States drywall. As reported here, the Florida Department of Health previously tested Chinese drywall samples and found a corrosive compound described as strontium sulfide. The EPA also reports that the Chinese drywall samples contained organic material associated with acrylic paint, which was not found in the American samples.
In a news release Senator Nelson stated:
“We now know there are three things in there that aren’t in other drywall samples. We’ve got the what, and now we need the why and how do we fix it? In the end, I think all this stuff is going to have to be ripped out.”
Senator Nelson’s news release can be found by clicking here.
