Chinese drywall under fire for health issues
Drywall manufactured in China started appearing as a major player in the home building and renovation business, predominately in the Southeastern U.S., following the hurricane season of 2001.
By 2006, and continuing today, thousands of consumer complaints had been lodged against the builders, retailers, and one primary manufacturer of Chinese drywall because of alleged negative health effects of that drywall, as well as alleged corrosive effects of emissions on copper and other household materials. The situation created enough of a crisis that selling drywall manufactured in China was banned in 2009, and product liability lawsuits are pending.
The Consumer Product Safety Council currently estimates the number of formal filed complaints with them and state agencies to be around 5,000, concentrated primarily in Florida (almost 60%), Louisiana (21%) and a few other southern states. Other sources estimate the number of homes affected in the six figures, although true counts are difficult. The CPSC's investigation is the most expensive in the agency's history.
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