Consumer Alert:

History of Chinese drywall problems

By Welch, Gold & Siegel – Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., Pennsylvania

When the demand exceeded the supply during the early to mid 2000s housing boom from the economy and natural disasters, a shortage of made-in-the-USA drywall and other building materials caused the housing industry to look elsewhere to locate alternative suppliers.

Enter Chinese drywall.

Most Chinese drywall was imported from six factories in China located in Beijing, Dongguan, Wuhu, Tianjin, Taian, and Shandong.  The large manufacturers of Chinese drywall are Knauf Plasterboard Tianjian and L&W Supply Corp, Beijing New Building Materials, Taian Taishan Plasterboard, and Taishan Gypsum Co.

Not all drywall from China is defective and not all known defective drywall is Chinese.  Defective non-Chinese drywall is thought to be recycled drywall that is reprocessed and resold in the United States.  While contaminated drywall was imported in 2001, the majority of contaminated drywall was imported between 2004 and 2007. 

Contaminants in the drywall include several sulfide and disulfide compounds, including hydrogen sulfide, strontium sulfide, and carbon disulfide, among others.  The origin of these contaminants is unknown, but is thought to be from mined gypsum, coal fly ash, or radioactive phosphogypsum.

Contaminated drywall off-gas compounds into the air, as a function of heat, humidity, and the amount of defective drywall in the building. Contaminated drywall indications include a foul sulfur smell similar to rotten eggs, black corrosion of copper and other metals, and nosebleeds and respiratory problems.

In December 2008, the first contaminated Chinese drywall problem was reported.

Thousands of homeowners have contaminated Chinese drywall filed lawsuits.  Long-term health effects are not known.  Health problems go away after homeowners move out from their contaminated Chinese drywall homes. 
Have you been negatively impacted by contaminated Chinese drywall?