U.S. Senate Hearings on Problems with Chinese Drywall Scheduled

A U.S. Senate subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for next Thursday about problems associated with Chinese drywall, which have caused homes throughout the country to develop a strong smell of rotten eggs, resulted in damaging corrosion and potentially caused health problems for residents.

Due to shortages of domestically produced drywall, hundreds of thousands of sheets of drywall made in China were imported into the United States between 2004 and 2007.

In recent years, problems with Chinese drywall have surfaced in homes built during this period, primarily throughout the southeast United States where more humid weather is found.

The drywall was made from fly ash residue, which is a waste material found in coal-fired power plants. It contains high levels of sulfur compounds, which could emit corrosive gases that smell like spoiled egges, corrode electrical wiring and damage major appliances like air conditioning units. The gases have also been associated with reports of health problems like nosebleeds, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing and eye irritation.

Hearings are scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 10:30 am, to review the health and product safety issues before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance.

In March 2009, U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Florida) and Mary Landrieu (D-Lousiana) introduced the Drywall Safety Act of 2009, which seeks to recall Chinese drywall and ban the import of such materials from China. The proposed legislation would also require the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology to work together on a study of the defective drywall.

Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist, sent a letter to the EPA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 3, 2009, requesting federal assistance in developing and implementing tests and strategies for Florida homes that have been affected by the corrosion and other Chinese drywall problems. An estimated 30,000 homes in Florida were constructed with the toxic drywall, and hundreds of complaints have been received by the Florida Department of Health.

The list of witnesses expected to testify at the hearing next week has not been finalized, but officials have been contacted from the CPSC, EPA, CDC and Florida Department of Health about appearing at the hearing. It is also expected that several affected homeowners will be asked to testify.

Hundreds of homeowners have already filed Chinese drywall lawsuits against the manufacturers, exporters, suppliers, retailers and builders associated with the defective wall board. The complaints seek compensation for problems caused by the drywall, including the cost of repairs, which may involve replacing every piece of drywall in their newly constructed homes.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is scheduled to hear arguments later this month about whether to consolidate all federal lawsuits over Chinese drywall that have been filed in various districts throughout several states before one judge for coordinated handling during pretrial litigation.