Chinese Drywall : Danger to Health

Drywall came to question in U.S. around 2006.Due to the Gulf coast hurricanes Katrina and Rita there was high demand for housing in South East. Therefore, market for construction increased and builders were lacking many materials required for construction including drywall. The drywall manufactured in U.S. was expensive as compared to the shipments of Chinese dry wall that were easily available .Some of the Chinese material bore a logo of U.S. Company.

The source of contamination is known but causes of contamination are subject of speculation. According to many toxicologists drywall are manufactured in gypsum mines. These gypsum mines are contaminated by waste product of called fly ash. Drywall also contains sulphur-emitting bacteria. These shipments are kept for months before getting clearance for entry in the port.

The drywall emits toxic gases, which are considered dangerous for homeowners and corrosive material. Identifying contaminated dry wall is not a difficult task. One of the indications of contaminated drywall in a home is an overly corroded wire. Copper tubing on air conditioning units is another indicator of drywall. The presence of drywall will corrode and blacken it. Due to the risk of electric shock, it is advised to contact an experience professional. As temperature and humidity increases, drywall produces a smell similar to rotten eggs.

Strontium sulfide has been identified as the toxic gas emitted from dry wall. This gas affects the bone and studies have shown that it is dangerous for children during the developmental years. If a person is exposed to this gas for a longer period, there are chances that his central nervous system and other organs could be affected.

Dozens of homeowners in Florida, Louisiana, Virginia and Ohio have filed lawsuits against suppliers, building contractors and drywall manufacturers.