NEW YORK—Chinese drywall has been confirmed to contain toxic materials after test results by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Chinese drywall was tested alongside U.S.A.-made drywall and the results were released on May 21.
Sulfur was discovered in the Chinese-made drywall, and not in the U.S.-made drywall, according to a press release by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL).
Strontium at levels ten times as high as in U.S. drywall were found, as well as two other organic compounds generally found in acrylic paint that were not detected in any U.S.-made wallboard.
The Florida Department of Health has recorded 379 complaints from homeowners as of May 19. Residents with the Chinese-made drywall have had health problems that include bronchitis, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and irritated eyes. Many affected houses have a rotten-egg-like smell, metal is turning black, and appliances are failing.
Used in construction, the tainted drywall emits a sulfur gas that mixes with moisture in the air to produce sulfuric acid—a highly corrosive acid found in acid rain.
