China's Latest Tainted Export: Toxic Drywall
Litigation surges over thousands of boom-era homes in the South that may harbor noxious, corrosive gases from gypsum mined in China
China has been blamed for a raft of dangerous exports to the U.S.—lead-tainted toys, melamine-spiked pet food, and contaminated blood thinners. Now one of the biggest homebuilders in the U.S. says defective drywall from China is the culprit for fumes that have damaged 400 houses in Florida.
It won't be easy for homeowners to collect damages. Many builders responsible for purchasing and installing suspect drywall have gone out of business during the recession, while others didn't keep sufficiently detailed records to track the origin of the drywall they placed, notes Jean Harrison, a senior partner who specializes in construction law at Nashville-based Harrison Law Group.
Hundreds of residents in Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia have been complaining since last year that noxious gases—apparently from bad drywall—have been corroding wiring, air-conditioner coils, light fixtures, and even picture frames in their new homes. They've also said the fumes have caused headaches, nosebleeds, and sore throats.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2009/db20090713_226837.htm
