Posts Tagged ‘Hydrogen Sulfide’
Breaking News Chinese Drywall!
I have Chinese Drywall, I’m located in South Florida. I created this website to help homeowners and to help get an understanding of how widespread this disaster is. If you have Chinese Drywall I want to hear from you, please register here.
WARNING: If your home was built or renovated between 2004 and 2007, it may contain a defective and dangerous product known as Chinese Drywall.
WHY IT’S DANGEROUS:
Chinese Drywall emits toxins that may pose serious health threats to homeowners, including respiratory problems, headaches, and nose bleeds. The toxins also corrode metal within a home causing severe damage to electronic equipment, wires, pipes and air conditioning systems.
Chinese drywall: Misleading information about public risk
By Phillip Goad
This is a response to the Sun Sentinel forum piece of May 3, 2009, “Chinese drywall spins off silent hurricane”:
The use of the term “toxic” is misleading to the public in reference to the recent drywall issue. My firm has been retained by Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin to perform third-party air sampling and to perform an independent examination of the results of similar sampling performed by other organizations.
KPT is the only drywall manufacturer that I am aware of to respond to builders’ complaints and conduct testing to ensure that there are no health risks to Florida homeowners.
The chemicals identified in testing performed thus far are naturally occurring, are present in the human body, and have been measured in human breath at concentrations similar to those we detected in our home sampling. There are some incorrect conclusions being made that have no scientific basis.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-drywall-goad-m0510sbmay10,0,5241956.story
Sulfur Dioxide
Respiratory Effects from Gaseous SO2 – Peak levels of SO2 in the air can cause temporary breathing difficulty for people with asthma who are active outdoors. Longer-term exposures to high levels of SO2 gas and particles cause respiratory illness and aggravate existing heart disease.
Respiratory Effects from Sulfate Particles – SO2 reacts with other chemicals in the air to form tiny sulfate particles. When these are breathed, they gather in the lungs and are associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty in breathing, and premature death.
Short-term Peak Levels
High levels of SO2emitted over a short period, such as a day, can be particularly problematic for people with asthma. EPA encourages communities to learn about the types of industries in their communities and to work with local industrial facilities to address pollution control equipment failures or process upsets that could result in peak levels of SO2.
Rep. Wexler visits homes with Chinese drywall
Reported by: Katie Brace
BOYNTON BEACH, FL — U.S. Representative Robert Wexler, (D) Boca Raton Florida, received a first-hand look at homes affected by tainted Chinese drywall. He toured homes in the Cobblestone Creek community in Boynton Beach. He says, “I don’t want to be an alarmist, but there are some potentially significant economic and health hazards that are akin to a hurricane.”
Heather DeSola and her husband have lived in the community for two years. They built their house and decorated it so it was perfect. The problem is the house is anything but. The house has the tell-tale signs of tainted Chinese drywall. The copper has turned black. The ac unit had to be replaced. Her jewelry has turned black. Most concerning – her family is now experiencing health problems.
Heather gets migraines, her oldest son has nose bleeds, both of her children have respiratory problems and her husband has horrible allergies.
Congressman Wexler and Florida’s Surgeon General both say more health studies need to be done. The Congressman says he’s filing legislation to provide tax deductions for homeowners who have to repair their homes affected by the drywall
The DeSola’s are not waiting. They are packing-up and hope to be out of their house by the weekend.
Congressman Wexler and Senator Bill Nelson are holding a town hall meeting Wednesday in West Palm Beach. It is being held in the Mayor’s Boardroom at 10:15.
Source: http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story/Rep-Wexler-visits-homes-with-Chinese-drywall/3GZNnUcigEOpheUPUWwfeQ.cspx
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Toxic Chinese Drywall Creates Big Headaches, and Much More
Two months ago I reported on the strange story of drywall manufactured in China that was allegedly emitting toxic odors and corroding plumbing and HVAC pipes in some new Florida homes. As I speculated at the time, this had the feel of a story that would be growing in significance in the months and years to come.
The Christian Science Monitor now reports that as many as 100,000 homes may be affected, with the reparation bill running into the billions of dollars. Florida homeowners are reporting a crazy list of symptoms arising from the presence of the sulfur-emitting drywall. They include “rotten egg” smell, rusted bath drains, dishwasher failure, discolored jewelry, and headaches and throat and sinus irritation.
Phew. All this from some drywall. At least so the victims have been led to believe. The U.S. suppliers and the builders refuse to take any responsibility, insurance companies claim they don’t know what to think and some lawmakers are urging the governor to declare the problem akin to a natural disaster. Suits have been filed, and some of the builders involved have declared bankruptcy. Meanwhile, some homeowners are stuck with houses they can neither live in safely nor repair. Some of the houses are being bulldozed. These are houses that are only a few years old!
What I have been unable to determine yet is where else this drywall ended up. Could any of us amateur remodelers have picked some up at the home improvement store? Did any of the stuff find its way to states other than Florida? Worth keeping an eye one, for sure.
Source: By Jeff Beneke, About.com Guide to Garages & Storage Spaces
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FEMA Help Sought For Chinese Drywall
Rep. Robert Wexler wrote Crist a letter Thursday asking for help. In the letter Wexler said the health and safety risks associated with Chinese drywall are similar to the impact of a hurricane or other natural disaster.
“This designation will allow state and local officials to work with these families to petition funds from FEMA that could help cover the substantial costs of removing Chinese drywall,” Wexler said.
Wexler and Sen. Bill Nelson are working toward a legislative ban on Chinese drywall.
At a meeting in Parkland Thursday night, residents gathered to discuss the impact that Chinese drywall has had on the value of their homes.
“Right now the house is worth zero,” Gary Schultheis told Local 10.
“We’re vacillating. One minute we’re staying, one minute we’re rebuilding, one minute we’re leaving. We don’t know what to do,” homeowner Mary Ann Schultheis told Local 10’s Rob Schmitt.
Residents believe sulfur in the drywall is destroying electronic equipment and anything that has copper wiring.
“We’re concerned about our health,” Gary Schultheis said. “If it does this to metal and wiring, I don’t think it could be very good for a human lung.”
A South Florida attorney who is working on a class action suit, told Local 10 that if the suit is approved, he would be representing tens of thousands of people.
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Crist seeks Chinese drywall health probe
Gov. Charlie Crist is seeking federal help with growing concerns over the health effects of high-sulfur Chinese drywall used in homes throughout Florida, calling on both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to step in.
In a letter sent Friday to both the EPA and the CDC, Crist asks both agencies to dispatch an environmental response team, as well as industrial hygienists from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to help inspect homes and evaluate possible health hazards from the reported corrosive gasses being emitted from Chinese drywall, the moniker given to the defective drywall that is believed to have been imported from Asia during the housing boom.
“The health hazards posed by exposure to chemicals in these homes are currently unclear, but we believe that a thorough and robust exposure assessment will enable [the Florida Department of Health] to determine if a health advisory is warranted,” Crist said.
The Department of Health’s state toxicologist and indoor air programs coordinator performed a preliminary assessment of 12 homes in South Florida in January, finding that the drywall in those homes contained strontium sulfide and elemental sulfur. Further tests determined that high relative humidity or heat produced hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide in what had been determined to be defective drywall, all of which can cause copper corrosion in homes and possibly pose a health hazard, Crist said.
Through mid-March, all of the drywall problems were coming from Florida, making it a state issue. But, since then, complaints have been received from Louisiana, Virginia and North Carolina, the governor said, opening the door for a federal investigation.
Crist was prompted to reach out to the EPA and CDC after receiving a letter from U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, sharing more details about the defective drywall on Thursday.
At least two class action lawsuits have been filed against foreign drywall manufacturers, including the Knauf Group of Germany, which manufactured drywall from a pair of China plants during the housing boom. Knauf has denied responsibility, claiming its toxicologists could find no link between copper corrosion and health problems in homes and the 67.3 million square feet of drywall it exported to the southeastern U.S., beginning in 2006.
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/03/30/daily90.html
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Toxic Chinese Drywall: Is It in Your Home?
CBS The Early Show, Featured, Green Home, Repairs and Installation, Safety and Security by Danny Lipford
Danny Discusses Chinese Wallboard on the Early Show
As if homeowners didn’t have enough to worry about, they can now add toxic gases emitted by imported Chinese drywall to the list. Increasing evidence indicates that some of the over 500 million pounds of drywall shipped to the U.S. from China during the housing boom following Hurricane Katrina contained potentially toxic materials that can release gases believed responsible for damaging homes and causing health problems.
Risks to Health and Home
Some homeowners with Chinese drywall report a strong sulfur smell, similar to that of rotten eggs, permeating their homes. Health problems are said to include headaches, respiratory ailments, irritated eyes, and nosebleeds. In addition, the toxic gas is thought to be responsible for corroding copper and tarnishing silver, resulting in the failure of everything from computers and TVs to air conditioners and refrigerators. Even electrical wiring and switches have been affected, as have the silver on mirrors and jewelry.
When Imported
Corroded copper in refrigerator.
According to estimates, approximately 20 million square feet of Chinese drywall has been imported into the U.S. since 2004. It’s thought to have been installed in somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 homes. Problems have been reported so far in over a dozen states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Homeowners in Florida have been the hardest hit, with over 140 complaints received and several class action lawsuits filed.
Tests Conducted
Tests recently conducted for the Florida Department of Health, found small amounts of the chemical strontium sulfide in samples of imported wallboard. When combined with humid air, trace amounts of the toxic gases hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide were released. Further testing will be conducted to determine more about the chemical makeup of the product and the amount of gas released.
Products Involved
Chinese drywall made by 20 different companies was imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2008. Several of them—including Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin (KPT), Knauf Gips (KG), and Taishan Gypsum Co.—have been the focus of the lawsuits that have been filed to date.
What to Do
It’s impossible to determine the origin or manufacturer of installed drywall without removing sections of it, and even then, drywall is often poorly marked on the back or not marked at all. Since some imported drywall doesn’t appear to cause a problem, the best way to know if your house is at risk is the sulfur smell and by checking the copper in appliances for signs of corrosion. Tests on samples can then be conducted to confirm the presence of contaminants. If your drywall does have a problem, there is little that can be done to alleviate it other than tearing out all the drywall out and replacing it.
Source: http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/safety-and-security/toxic-chinese-drywall-is-it-in-your-home/
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Chinese Drywall Blamed for Health, Wiring Problems
As if Florida’s housing market hasn’t had enough bad news lately, it now seems that some homes built with imported Chinese drywall have experienced problems ranging from rotten egg odor to appliance failure, and in some cases health problems. The culprit, according to homeowners involved in class action lawsuits in Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama, is high levels of sulfur within the drywall. The corrosive gas has destroyed copper wiring, causing air conditioners and other appliances to fail. Some homeowners claim the drywall has caused health problems, including headaches, sore throats, insomnia, and swollen joints.
During the boom years of 2005 and 2006, when frenzied new home construction combined with post-hurricane reconstruction, home builders found some material, including drywall, in short supply, and looked to cheap imports to fill the need. The gypsum used in the drywall, plaintiffs claim, originated in a Chinese mine with toxic levels of sulfur, though the companies that sell the drywall deny this claim. It is estimated that the number of homes with Chinese dry wall could be as high as 50,000, with Florida accounting for as many as 30,000. Time Magazine asks “Is Drywall the Next Chinese Import Scandal?“
Source: http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/03/25/chinese-drywall-blamed-for-health-wiring-problems/
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