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According to an article published on ProPublica entitled “China Plays Tug-of-War with U.S. Inspectors over Drywall,” the United States’ investigation of defective Chinese drywall has been an everlasting “tug-of-war” battle between US investigators and the Chinese manufacturers and their government.  It has even gone as far as a Chinese official attempting to force a piece of the drywall from an American inspector’s grasp.

The investigation into contaminated Chinese-made drywall is the largest product investigation the Consumer Safety Product Commission (CPSC) has ever conducted.  Although it has been almost 2 years since this all began, the CPSC still does not know what causes the sulfur gases to be released.

A CPSC team traveled to China last year to investigate the manufacturing plants and gypsum mines.  According to the Herald-Tribune, Chinese officials drastically interfered with the investigation. Chinese officials would rush the American investigators through sites, avoided questions, and even tried to stop attempts to take samples.  They even went as far as ordering employees at a Chinese mine to encircle the Americans to block the entrance as an intimidation tactic.

The ProPublica article also stated that the team of investigators was denied even the most basic information about the chemicals and processes being used to manufacture the drywall.  At one point, some of the team members went to vendors to purchase the drywall directly, and were told that a certain brand of drywall smelled so bad contractors refused to buy it.

Manufacturing Plant #1 – The team first stopped in a city located within the Shandong province where Taishan Gypsum Co. and Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin received some of their materials.  This was also where Tiashan’s manufacturing plant is located.  

During their visit, many of the team’s questions were avoided.  The team also made a few disturbing observations. The plant was very dirty, equipment was not labeled, and it was very unclear as to how the quality of the material was being monitored.

Gypsum Mine #1 – Resistance to cooperate intensified during the second stop at a gypsum mine.  When the American team of 5 stepped off of the bus they were encircled by at least 50 plant employees who proceeded to block the entrance and take pictures of the team.  The team planned to be at this location for several hours, but was rushed through the site.  They were only there for about 30 minutes.  

Gypsum Mine #2 – The second gypsum mine they visited in Shandong province was overwhelmed by the smell of sulfur, as well as the smell of live-stock.  The team asked where the live-stock smell came from and were told that there was a farm nearby however, there was no farm in sight. 

The team was very displeased with the processes being used to separate the materials in the mine.  The materials were being separated by hand which meant that the gypsum was not being properly tested to see if it was pure enough to be used to produce drywall.  When the team of investigators asked for a sample, they were handed a piece of gypsum that looked nothing like the piles being sorted. 

Manufacturing Plant #2 – This second manufacturing plant used a type of gypsum called flue gas desulfurization or FGD gypsum.  This gypsum is produced from coal ash.  This method is very popular in China and the United States because it is abundant and cheap.

The team wanted to know how the plant kept track of where the coal ash came from. In the US, deliveries come with certificates that specify the composition of the gypsum.  What they were told was startling.  They were told that the gypsum came from five different power plants and was dumped into one big pile and that there was no documentation on the materials.

Last Manufacturing Plant – The last manufacturing plant they visited was located in the city of Tianjin of Beijing.  This is where Chinese subsidiary Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, of the German based company was located. 

This facility provided the team with a full list of chemicals used in their product, and this plant was significantly more modernized than the previous plants visited.  However, despite these optimistic factors, this plant was also piling their materials together which did not allow them to keep track of its origin.

The End of the Investigation- During the last few nights of their stay, some of the investigators slipped into town to try and get more information.  They went to vendors to purchase sheets of drywall to sample.  The investigators also gathered valuable information from these vendors who did not know why they were being questioned by the Americans.

The CPSC has not received any additional information from the Chinese government since the trip 14 months ago. 

On a more positive note, the Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin “pilot program” settlement to repair 300 homes in several different states is set to begin early next year.

On Tuesday, May 25th the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Drywall Information Center released a list of drywall manufacturers whose drywall produced high levels of hydrogen sulfide during testing.  They stated, “There is a strong association between hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion.”

After testing they were able to determine the top ten samples which released the highest levels of hydrogen sulfide gases.  The top ten were all drywall samples made in China. Some of the emissions rates were documented at 100 times higher that drywall not produced in China.

The top ten included:

1. Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (year of manufacture 2005) China
2. Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
3. Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2005) China
4. Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
5. Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
6. Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
7. Shandong Chenxiang GBM Co. Ltd. (C&K Gypsum Board): (2006) China
8. Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM): (2009) China
9. Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2009) China
10. Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2009) China

See the active emission levels for each sample here.

The CPSC has also listed other Chinese drywall samples that were tested but did not have significant hydrogen sulfide emission levels.

Your house may be affected by Chinese drywall and you don’t even know it! How does that make you feel? The average homeowner does not know the first thing about Chinese drywall or the signs that their home was built with this tainted product. Fortunately, once you learn about the basic signs you will probably be able to determine if your home is in trouble.

For many homeowners, the first sign of Chinese drywall is a strong smell of sulfur – much like rotten eggs. Generally speaking, the odor is usually so bad that it forces people from the home. This is far from a subtle smell.

Along with the smell, many homeowners have reported failing appliances and deteriorating pipes and wiring. Not only is this a giant inconvenience, but it is a safety hazard as well. For instance, air conditioner coils are failing after a few months, instead of lasting 10 or more years like they are supposed to.

On top of all this, and maybe most important, Chinese drywall can lead to health problems. Some of them include difficulty breathing, nose bleeds, irritated eyes, coughing, and sneezing. The long term health effects of Chinese drywall are unknown. That being said, doctors are strongly suggesting that people do not live in homes that were built with this material.

These basic signs should help you decide if your home was built with Chinese drywall.

After months of scientific testing, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released the results of its investigation Thursday.  The results: federal investigators found higher than normal levels of sulfur and strontium in Chinese drywall samples.  As a caveat, the report did not conclusively link the health problems and reported damages that thousands of U.S. homeowners have reported to the agency with the drywall directly.  Instead of an outright assertion, the CPSC said additional testing was needed and that a new report should be released at some point in November.

Strontium and sulfur have been known to cause health problems though in other contexts.  It seems the CPSC seeks to have definitive test results before releasing a report directly connecting the drywall with health concerns.  Unfortunately, this report which lacked the nexus homeowners were hoping for, has Hampton Roads residents on pins and needles.  One couple reported to WAVY.com that they were essentially using their home as a “storage unit” because of the health problems and sulfur-like odor.

The family’s attorney, Richard J. Serpe (who is also representing other homeowners in a class action suit)  told WAVY.com that he doubted the CPSC will return new reports in several weeks.  He seemed to highlight the sense of urgency of the situation, given the fact that health concerns are implicated.  He said, “When Chinese drywall [and other] toxic substances get into your body, what does it mean?  [Homeowners] can’t [afford] to wait for the years for scientists to figure . . . out [the nexus,] we need to get to it now.”  Not only are homeowners facing potential health concerns, but the presence of Chinese drywall has imposed a dire financial strain on families who have had to vacate their homes, continue to pay the mortgage, and seek refuge in a temporary rental home.

The couple who spoke with WAVY.com is not giving up hope that the scientists will turn around results quickly, and that the situation will be ultimately resolved.  One homeowner, a pastor, told WAVY, “We’re people of faith and that matters for us…what was [released by the CPSC Thursday] was [an acknowledgement] that there is a terribly serious problem that is affecting homeowners in 30 states.”

Homeowners have reported almost 2,000 complaints according to the CPSC, and chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum has stated that the agency is working with the Department of Homeland Security to halt imports of more drywall from China.  Congressional leaders have also taken note of the situation, by seeking to help homeowners in proposing low interest loans.

CPSC October 29 Status Update

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is prepared to release its results regarding the drywall investigation prompted by reports from over 1,500 consumers from over 27 States.   TheChineseDrywallLawyer.com is probing the basics of the investigation itself for the convenience of homeowners across the nation.  See the general article here.

Aside from the (perhaps) more important aspects of the health inquiry of the CPSC investigation, the agency also will be releasing, and has been studying the issue of electrical and fire safety ramifications of potentially defective drywall.  Consumers across the nation have been reporting blackening and corrosion of metal products in the home.  Specifically, reports have included failure of air conditioning units and coils, operation failures of various appliances such as dishwashers, televisions, and refrigerators.  Even video game consoles have been implicated.

The CPSC has stated that they have not received any direct complaints of fires, electrical shocks relating to drywall, however, that is not to presuppose that such problems are not impossible tangents of the issue at large.  The CPSC seems particularly concerned with the prospect of corrosion of gas pipes and fire safety devices such as fire and carbon dioxide alarms.

The CPSC investigation pertaining to electrical and fire safety components encompasses the following primary purposes:

(1)   Electrical devices

(2)   Gas service devices

(3)   Fire safety devices

The investigation, as reported by the CPSC, is a “two-part engineering component test program, (1) metallurgical analysis of various components collected from affected residences to characterize the type and extent of damage; and (2) exposure of new components to elevated levels of gases…”

Check TheChineseDrywallLawyer.com frequently for updates regarding the investigation results from the CPSC.

As the CPSC prepares to release its results regarding the drywall investigation that was sparked by reports from over 1,500 consumers from over 27 states, TheChineseDrywallLawyer.com is examining the elements and components of the investigation itself.  See the general article here.

The “Health” aspect of the investigation stems from reports of respiratory illnesses, headaches, sinus issues, acne, coughing, bloody noses, asthma, itchiness, among others.  Many homeowners have reported that the symptoms either dissipate completely or lessen to a noticeable degree when they are not in the home, but return or fluctuate upon returning to the residence.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigation center website, the symptoms appear to be short-term and “related to something within the home.”  Additionally, the symptoms appear to be comparable to allergies, colds, and pollutant reactions.  As such, the CPSC has noted that their investigation will seek to establish if the symptoms are resultant from the drywall or other pollutants that may be in the home.

The CPSC has stated that the following aspects of their investigation will attempt to provide data that will be a “basis for a health risk assessment.”

-          Air sampling from within the home (field studies)

-          Elemental characterization

-          Chamber studies

The air sampling measures performed by the CPSC are intended to be real-time measurements of compounds such as sulfur and acid, dangerous byproducts, and other relevant materials.  The laboratory elemental characterization studies will encompass a categorization of components of “normal” drywall and the noted differences found in the samples.  The chamber studies will seek to specifically differentiate emitted compounds from drywall as opposed to other household products such as paint, beauty products, and carpets among others.

The CPSC is expected to release investigatory results soon, and when they are released, TheChineseDrywallLawyer.com will certainly report the results as soon as they are available.

As homeowners who have been adversely affected by the presence of Chinese drywall in their homes await the results of the investigations that have been underway by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), some may be wondering the measures, inquiries, and elements of the investigation.

According to the CPSC drywall investigation website, three elements exist:

(1)   The evaluation of reported health issues in relation to the drywall at issue

(2)   The evaluation of the reported fire and electrical concerns relating to the drywall at issue; and

(3)   The evaluation of the origins, distribution, and supply chain

The CPSC has stated that the planned investigation has entailed field work, on-site visits to China, and discussion with homeowners who claim to be experiencing problems.  Since the reports have been fielded by the agency from across the nation, the CPSC has noted that it will be in contact via telephone as well as in-person if possible.

Field investigators have been placed in the States reporting issues (however, Wyoming has not seen the placement of such agents), and samples have been collected of drywall as well as electrical system components.

For a synopsis of the investigation with regard to the health aspect, see this article

For a synopsis of the safety concerns pertaining to electrical systems see this article

The CPSC has received complaints from 27 states and counting, and the drywall at issue is currently the center of multiple lawsuits filed in State and Federal courts.  The number of complaints is now approaching 2,000 nation-wide.  The investigation results are expected to be released very soon, which will potentially establish a nexus between the reports and the scientific data.

Following the atypical hurricane season of the mid-2000’s, shipping records show that over 500 million pounds of drywall were imported from China into the United States, which is enough for use in approximately 100,000 homes.

A forensic field services manager for CBI forensics recently commented that developers and contractors used Chinese drywall to save money, and given the circumstances of high demand, they needed a fast and cheap means of supplying the various components used in the construction of homes. (See lawyersandsettlements.com article here)

The CBI inspectors apparently began investigating the drywall allegations towards the end of last year.  Now, a couple years following construction of homes in question, homeowners are reporting that foul odors, corrosion in appliances, and respiratory and other illnesses are occurring.

One company, Knauf (a subsidiary of German-based Knauf, which provides close to 50 countries with drywall and other products, hired forensic experts to determine if the homeowner complaints had a basis.  According to Knauf, there were “no health concerns related to any emissions they tested in residents’ homes.” Contrastingly, private investigators that homeowners hired revealed different results, finding that corrosion was only present in houses containing Chinese drywall.  Additionally, sulfur gasses were determined to exist in some testing samples.

Pinning liability on a particular entity is something to be decided in the court of law and the attorneys and plaintiffs associated with such causes of action.  Aside from the obvious suspects (i.e., distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers and developers) it is interesting to note that some United States based investment groups had bought drywall and imported it for the installation in certain homes.  In other words, the prima-facie supply chain defendants may be not as intuitive as some may contend at first glance.

If you are a homeowner or builder who has been affected by imported drywall from China you are mostly likely already familiar with the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Drywall Information Center.  If however you are not, and are interested in monitoring the progress of the CPSC, check out there website at least once a month for new investigative results and updates.

Investigative Efforts

Since the initial inquiries in late December 2008, there have been efforts by the CPSC to investigate homes that were initially tested and confirmed to have imported drywall. Through various laboratory and field studies they hope to determine more information on the imported drywall and the related, health issues, corrosion problems and, thepath of manufacture, importation, and installation.

The CPSC has currently received 1,501 reports from 27 different states. These figures seem to increase as more and more homewoners are made aware of the symptoms and signs that they should be aware of. 

• 76% Florida
• 14%  Louisiana
• 3.1%  Virginia
• 1.4%  Mississippi
• 1.3%  Alabama
• 4%  Other States

The timeline developed by the CPSC says the we should be able to access some of the results found by these studies later this month (October 2009).

For a more detailed timeline on elemental and chemical, chamber, air sampling, and electrical and fire safety test results, view the Imported Drywall Fact Sheet provided by the CPSC.