Archive for May, 2009
Chinese Drywall Lawsuits May be Consolidated in Federal Court in Fort Myers, FL
Chinese drywall lawsuits from around the country may be consolidated in a single jurisdiction. Some plaintiffs’ attorneys, as well as some defendants, are advocating that the Chinese drywall lawsuits be consolidated and transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division, which is located in the epicenter of the Chinese drywall problem.
Homeowners in at least 16 states have complained that fumes from Chinese-made drywall produce a “rotten eggs” odor and cause metals, such as air conditioning coils, to corrode. The fumes have also been associated with respiratory and sinus problems in some residents. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the U.S. imported roughly 309 million square feet of drywall from China during the housing boom from 2004 to 2007. While the first complaints about the material came from Florida, homeowners in many other states – including Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and North Carolina – have reported problems.
Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released results of tests it conducted that compared Chinese drywall to American-made material. The tests found sulfur and two organic compounds associated with acrylic paint in the Chinese drywall that were not present in the American wallboard. The agency said more testing is needed to determine if any of the compounds found in the Chinese drywall are responsible for problems reported by homeowners.
Cape Coral man to testify in D.C. today on drywall issue
Richard Kampf, a Cape Coral resident who has an Aranda Home built with defective Chinese drywall, will testify today before a Congressional committee called to discuss the drywall issue.
The hearing was called by U.S. senators Bill Nelson of Florida and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
Both states are dealing with the defective drywall in residents’ homes — Florida more so because it is estimated that 36,000 homes are affected.
Kampf, 56, is former chief of staff for the EPA in Philadelphia. He moved here to a $315,000 home built in 2006 to retire with his wife, Patti, and son Stephen.
You can read the text of the entire testimony he will give the committee when the hearing begins at 10:30 a.m.
The Kampfs say they still have not yet received a satisfactory response from their builder.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090521/NEWS0101/90521024/1075
Nelson: Chinese drywall tests confirm differences
South Florida Business Journal – by Paul Brinkmann
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tests of high-sulfur Chinese drywall have confirmed differences between the imported material and U.S.-made drywall, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Tuesday.
The new EPA tests showed the Chinese-made drywall contained sulfur that was not in U.S. drywall, strontium (a metallic element) at levels 10 times as high as in U.S. drywall and two other organic compounds generally found in acrylic paint that were not detected in any U.S.-made wallboard, according to a news release.
“We now know there are three things in there that aren’t in other drywall samples,” Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said in the release. “We’ve got the what, and now we need the why and how do we fix it? In the end, I think all this stuff is going to have to be ripped out.”
Nelson’s office said the EPA has determined more tests are needed, including air sampling in affected houses, to determine whether the drywall is the cause of corroded wiring and appliances and the alleged health problems. Nelson said he and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, will file an amendment to pending legislation to provide emergency funds for further investigation and continued testing.
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/05/18/daily29.html
Chinese drywall hits health, wallets, homeowners say
PARKLAND, Florida (CNN) — Sherri and Ira Rojhani stopped paying the mortgage on their 2-year-old South Florida home in April, victims not of a troubled economy, but, they say, of drywall from China that they believe is making them sick.
They join a growing list of homeowners in 13 states who face foreclosure or the prospect of paying both their mortgage and rent on alternate housing as they seek relief from what they describe as corrosive gasses emitted from the Chinese drywall. The drywall is now the subject of several scientific studies.
“Families are being forced to make health decisions based on financial consideration, and that is fundamentally flawed,” said Sherri Rojhani, a homeowner in Parkland, Florida. “We shouldn’t be in a position to stay in a home, based on our health,” she said.
Homeowners allege the gas is causing home appliances and copper wiring to fail and causes chronic, long-term upper respiratory infections.
Federal authorities including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are studying the possible health effects of the drywall. Most of their results are still some time off.
On Tuesday the EPA announced that it found sulfur, a corrosive material, in the Chinese drywall samples it tested and that sulfur was not found in the U.S. manufactured drywall samples it also tested. The EPA also found strontium in the Chinese drywall at levels about 10 times higher than in the U.S. drywall. Strontium is a metal often used in manufacturing the glass for television screens.
The EPA also detected two elements typically found in acrylic paints in the Chinese drywall but not in the U.S. drywall.
The EPA said these results are not intended to establish a definitive link between the drywall and the conditions being found by homeowners in their homes.
City of Parkland Updates
For the latest updates from the City of Parkland task force vist
http://www.cityofparkland.org/bldg/chinese_drywall/chinese_drywall.html
Chinese drywall concerns head to Capitol Hill
The first congressional hearings on Chinese drywall will be held on Capitol Hill next week.
The Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance plans to meet at 10:30 a.m. on May 21.
The committee will investigate health and product safety issues associated with the drywall.
High-sulfur Chinese drywall has been blamed for fumes that cause an odor of rotten eggs, metal corrosion and alleged health problems in thousands of homes, mostly in the Southeast, and especially in Florida.
The growing product liability crisis has spawned federal and state lawsuits, including individual actions and class actions. The Florida Department of Health is tracking 365 reported complaints and investigating. The 
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is also investigating.
Law firm sets town meeting to discuss drywall issues
Attorney C. David Durkee, partner with the Florida law firm Roberts & Durkee, today announced the scheduling of a town hall meeting in Fort Myers to discuss possible toxic Chinese drywall in the community as well as other communities throughout Florida.
Durkee, who is filing a series of lawsuits on behalf of homeowners who say the Chinese-made drywall is causing health issues and damaging their homes and belongings, will answer questions at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 3427 Forum Boulevard.
The event is free and open to the public.
Attorney Wayne S. Kreger, partner with the national law firm Milstein, Adelman & Kreger, based in Santa Monica, Calif., will help lead the town meeting. Kreger is handling California class-action suits concerning toxic Chinese drywall and collaborating with Durkee and other attorneys nationwide.
The Fort Myers meeting follows a series of similar meetings in other parts of Florida.
http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/506207.html?nav=5069
Below is a news release from the Virginia Department of Health
Does Chinese drywall pose health risks?
Preliminary data indicates that some Chinese drywall emits gases that contain sulfur and other chemicals. The gases that are emitted can smell like “rotten eggs” and may irritate the respiratory system. However, current health data do not suggest any immediate or chronic health problems associated with Chinese drywall.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) continues to collect and assess data as it is made available. Some of the gases emitted from Chinese drywall can corrode metals, in particular, copper.
Corroded metals such as brass fittings, copper coils, and electrical wires may pose an immediate health risk. Leaking gas pipes and air conditioning units may expose you to Freon and natural gas.
Corroded electrical wires may affect the normal functioning of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Freon is a proprietary name for chlorofluorocarbons that are commonly used in refrigeration and air-conditioning units.
Freon 22 as well as newer refrigerants are commonly used. Chlorofluorocarbons used for refrigeration/air-conditioning would not be expected to pose a health risk to homeowners should a leak develop.
At extremely high chlorofluorocarbon concentrations individuals have experienced heart beat abnormalities, loss of coordination, narcosis, and dizziness.
If a natural gas leak is suspected you should contact your local gas company.
How do I know if I have Chinese drywall?
The presence of Chinese drywall does not necessarily mean that there will be effects to you or your home. Most drywall from China will be labeled on the back of the drywall with made in China, however, it is possible that drywall from China may not have any markings. It is also possible that a home could contain both drywall made in the U.S. and drywall made in China.
Homes considered to potentially be affected by Chinese drywall would have been built after 2003 and meet two of the following:
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1) The presence of sulfur-like or other unusual odors
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2) Drywall labeled made in China
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3) Observed copper corrosion, indicated by black, sooty coating of un-insulated copperpipe leading to the air-conditioned
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4) Documented failure of air conditioner evaporator coil (located inside the airconditioning
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unit)
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5) Confirmation by an outside expert or professional of the presence of premature copper
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corrosion on un-insulated copper wires and/or air conditioner evaporator coils (inside the
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air conditioning unit)
Who can I contact to inspect my home?
If you think that your home has been affected by Chinese drywall you should contact a licensed professional. Plumbers, electricians, building contractors, home inspectors, environmental contractors, heating and air conditioning contractors, and other licensed professionals may be able to assist with evaluating damage to your home.
How can I treat my home if it is affected by Chinese Drywall?
VDH is not aware of any remedy other than complete removal and replacement of the drywall. Painting the drywall, or the use of ozone generators have not been proven effective.
If I have a problem, who should I contact for help?
You should first start by contacting the builder and the Consumers Product Safety Commission or calling their toll-free consumer hotline: 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
VDH continues to monitor the evolving Chinese drywall issue and any potential impacts on public health. We encourage you to check back often for updates and any new developments.
If you need further information regarding the health effects of Chinese drywall, please contact the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Environmental Epidemiology, 109 Governor Street, 4th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, or call (804)-864-8182.