From 2005 to 2007, the United States imported drywall from China due to a domestic shortage caused by the active hurricane seasons. Since that time, there have been nearly 2100 reports of rotten smell, failed appliances, illness, corroded pipes and wires. Although the complains were from 32 states, Louisiana, Florida and Virginia were hit the worst. Air samples from dozens of homes containing the drywall were analyzed. The report indicated a “strong association” between the high levels of hydrogen sulfide in the drywall and the corrosion of the metals.

Jack McCarthy, president of Environmental Health & Engineering Inc., which carried out the work stated: “we can say that the levels of the pollutants we found, particularly the hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde, could possibly contribute to some of the health problems that have been reported to the CPSC.” The next step will be to develop a plan to identify homes with the corrosive materials and how to fix them, said Scott Wolfson, the product safety agency’s director of information and public affairs.

The Chinese drywall has caused significant property damage in homes. The toxic drywall has also been reported to cause illness, especially respiratory infection. If you or someone you know has had Chinese drywall installed in residential or commercial property, it must be removed. You are entitled to compensation for any damage caused to your property or to your health. We are St. Louis injury attorneys. We handle cases throughout Illinois and Missouri. If you would like to talk to us about Chinese drywall or need a Chinese drywall attorney, contact us at 1-800-517-0602.