Is this toxic sheetrock a real concern? In an article published by the Birmingham Business Journal, they first began to lay out the case in April 2009.

Chinese drywall controversy makes its way to Birmingham

Birmingham Business Journal - by Lauren B. Cooper Staff

The toxic Chinese drywall plaguing most of the Gulf Coast may have been used in the construction of homes in the Birmingham area.

The drywall was imported into the U.S between 2005 and 2008 and used particularly in 2006, when there was a shortage of building supplies after several hurricanes and during the building boom.

The toxic material, which is known to emit a sulfuric compound that corrodes metals and may cause upper respiratory problems, has sparked at least two class action lawsuits out of Alabama against drywall manufacturer Knauf, in addition to numerous others from all over the Southeast.

The Alabama Department of Public Health and the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders said they have not received any complaints or reports of problems due to the imported drywall.

But a class action suit was filed earlier this month in the Northern district of Alabama on behalf of homeowners affected by the problem and a Mobile-based home builder filed a class action lawsuit in Florida on behalf of home builders.

Steve Mullins, the Mississippi attorney representing the homeowners, said he recently put ads in Alabama newspapers about the lawsuit and the majority of the calls he received were from the Birmingham area.

“There’s no explanation,” he said. “You would think it would be in Mobile because that’s where you find the most. But we’ve gotten calls from the Birmingham area - about 10 to one compared to Mobile.”

Mullins said it’s still uncertain how much of the toxic drywall was imported into the U.S., but it seems it was more prevalently distributed to and sold by secondary building supply companies and local shops across the Southeast.

“I don’t think the big guys sold it because of their contracts with (U.S. companies),” he said, referring to companies like Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Steven L. Nicholas, the Mobile attorney representing the home builder, said he’s in the beginning stages of tracking the distribution of the drywall in Alabama.

But, he said, “We believe that the product was distributed through two to three, at least, building supply distributors in the Birmingham area.”

A Birmingham area homeowner, who agreed to speak to the Business Journal on terms of anonymity, said, after experiencing problems, he identified he had drywall from China in his home, which was built in 2006 and purchased in 2007.

After moving into his home – in a new subdivision off the U.S. 280 corridor – he had problems hanging photos and his television because the drywall was brittle, he said.

“It just didn’t seem to be the quality we were accustomed to,” he said.

Earlier this year, when he read about cases in Florida he said he went into the attic, pulled back the insulation and determined from the stamp on the drywall that it was made in China.

Since then, he’s been awaiting word from his builder on what should be done, he said.

“I’ve been to the doctor with severe respiratory problems and my wife has been in the emergency room because of nosebleeds,” he said. “Is this part of the problem? I don’t know.”

While no complaints have been reported to the local home builders association, the National Association of Home Builders is equipping local groups with important talking points and advice for builders, said Lurenda Avery, spokeswoman for the Birmingham group.

The association is encouraging builders to be proactive about the situation, she said – recommending that they consult qualified legal counsel, gather construction and warranty documents, be knowledgeable and accessible to respond to concerns and have a legal, financial and public relations plan in place to respond.

“What they’re saying right now is that the builders are just as much a victim,” she said. “But the sooner a decision is made the better.”

This week, two U.S. senators from Florida and Louisiana filed new legislation calling for a recall of high-sulfur Chinese drywall in response to hundreds of complaints of corroding metal and odors in homes.

The Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have launched investigations to determine the extent of the drywall problem in that state and Louisiana is taking similar measures.

In a Monday press release, the senators from Florida and Louisiana said the drywall problem could affect some 36,000 homes in Florida and up to 100,000 nationwide.

Both Mullins and Nicholas said while a sulfur odor in a new home may indicate the product was used, the main indicator would be if the homeowner has had to replace air conditioning coils more than once over the past few years.

Also, they said, home owners can look on the back of the drywall, possibly in the attic, to see if it has any Chinese markings or is stamped “Made in China.”

How do I know if my home contains tainted Chinese drywall?

Common health complaints include:

Nose bleeds
Headaches
Coughs
Upper respiratory or sinus issues
Eye irritation
Tiredness
Difficulty breathing
Aching body
Rashes
Family pets may have died

Common building-related issues include:

•  Corroded, or black electrical wiring (picture above)

• High end silver jewelry, or silver plated utensils may be tarnished
  
• Light bulbs in homes with toxic Chinese drywall may burn out at a much faster rate than specified by the manufacturer
  
• Smell of rotten eggs
  

Who to contact:

- Your doctor
- State health department
- Homeowners Consumer Center/America's Watchdog
- Government representatives

SOURCE: Homeowners Consumer Center at 866-714-6466.

This issue of Chinese Sheetrock and its possible toxicity continues to raise concerns within the real estate industry. This article was recently published by ESML Analytical, a leading United States testing lab.

Chinese Drywall Emitting Strange Odors and Causing Corrosion on Copper-bearing Materials have been Reported

EMSL Analytical has been busy identifying strange odors from drywall.

As if the battered real estate market hasn’t been difficult enough on property owners, reports of drywall causing unpleasant odors and damage to building materials have surfaced. The problematic drywall, imported between 2004 and 2006, appears to be related to the presence of iron disulfide (FeS2 pyrite). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2) are also suspected as culprits. There are also reports of Chinese drywall that was kept on barges at sea for months awaiting permission for importation to the USA. This drywall appears to have a higher than typical density and also a higher propensity to off-gas sulfur compounds. Drywall is usually made of gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate). Therefore, sulfur is one of the main components inherently in the material. Both odorous and non-odorous drywall has sulfur in the elemental composition and the odor is not explained, therefore, by an analysis of the total sulfur content. “The IAQ issues related to these problems is still unclear,” reported Eugenia Mirica PhD, Senior Materials Scientist at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The EPA is investigating the severity of the problem. However, it is well know that exposure to sulfur compounds can create irritation and breathing disorders,” Dr. Mirica continued. Analysis of the drywall can be performed checking for the presence of total iron by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) or VOC analysis using an environmental chamber study by TO-15 approach. Copper corrosion testing can also be performed to identify and confirm the presence of substandard drywall. Sulfur odors are also produced when certain anaerobic bacteria utilize iron and other molecules for growth. Therefore, endotoxin analysis for gram negative bacterial contamination and anaerobic Plate Count may be recommended. EMSL Analytical is a national leader in materials testing services.