Expert: Builder’s New Guidelines for Chinese Drywall “Feel Like a Whitewash”
New National Association of Home Builders guidelines for testing and fixing homes built with suspect Chinese drywall conflict with Consumer Product Safety Commission recommendations.
The National Association of Home Builders has developed its own way to test and fix homes built with Chinese drywall, our partners at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune have reported.
But the guidelines, due to be released on Wednesday, conflict with recommendations made last year by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here’s the Herald-Tribune on the industry’s limited guidelines:
The document omits key research on hydrogen sulfide conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, or LBNL, considered one of the best laboratories nationwide. The California-based lab conducted extensive chamber tests that found problem Chinese drywall released orders-of-magnitude more hydrogen sulfide gas than normal drywall.
Instead, the report focuses on 17 different chemicals identified in research commissioned by Chinese drywall manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. As we have reported, Knauf, a German-based company, argued for years that it was not legally responsible for defective drywall that its Chinese subsidiary produced. But in October 2010, the company agreed to remediate 300 homes built with its board.
The industry’s report also recommends using copper coupons to detect corrosive drywall, stating it should only take a few days.
But Michael Foreman, head of Sarasota-based Foreman & Associates, and a member of the American Society for Testing Materials committee examining the drywall, said it can take considerably more time for corrosion to become apparent.
“I was really shocked when I read some of this,” said Foreman. “A lot of it feels like a whitewash, as if it’s designed to push the kind of testing that will not give back troublesome results.”
The CPSC declined the Herald-Tribune’s request for comment and didn’t immediately return our calls this morning.
Tainted Drywall: How Companies Kept Silent While Homeowners Suffered
Foul air from Chinese-made drywall has created a nightmare for thousands of homeowners.
The Story So Far
ProPublica and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune began examining in May 2010 what was—or wasn’t—being done to help people whose homes had been built with contaminated drywall. The problematic drywall, much of it imported from China, emitted foul odors and frequently caused mysterious failures of new appliances and electronics. Worse yet, some residents complained of serious respiratory problems, bloody noses, and migraines.
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8 comments
Cindy
March 15, 2011, 12:28 p.m.
I volunteered for a consumer org for about 9 years, primarily doing research. Much of the research was into govt documents, archived news, etc. What I found was this picture: The industry, no matter what industry it is, usually has and spends the money to create “studies” that say whatever they want them to say. Real data is often supressed or dismissed as some sort of bogus tool of “trial lawyers.” These industry studies serve the industry, just as their lobying serves their industry when they promote or fight new laws under the guise of things like “the dream of homeownership.”
Lori gray
March 15, 2011, 1:32 p.m.
Well let those lobbyist try to tell the parents of 13 babies why their children are dead and wont b able to watch them grow up. The industirles need to be held accountable for their products and what it does to families!!!!!!!!
magiart
March 15, 2011, 3:17 p.m.
The members and agents of the Plutocratic Warfare Servile State are almost there…
They’re almost at the point where their corporatist pronunciamentos are become the law of the land.
The American people no longer have a government that works with and for them - it belongs to the members and agents of the Plutocratic Warfare Servile State.
Soon all three branches will be wholly ornamental…a toothless custom for plutocratic showcasing.
Any “guidelines” for any industry that origninates in that industry and is given precedence over regulatory agencies proves this, as in this case.
Trubee
March 15, 2011, 3:57 p.m.
WAKE UP AMERICA- Your government is bought and paid for, in cash. The amount is solely based upon how important the folks paying believe what you can deliver is worth.
This corporatism finds its roots with the John Birch Society and Robert Welch its founder.
All an intelligent person has to do is read the manifestos. The meantility has always been there except that it has spread downward from Banking into most other businesses with the prime objective to own the court system and run the politicians.
After you do some research, look around and you will be amazed. Chinese drywall was just the latest invention to sell out american businesses to the Chinese and others. That this material was defective from the door makes little difference to people that don’t have it in their homes and they could care less about the people that do.
What is tragic is that the criminals that placed this pox and others upon americans and probably other countries as well, have bought the policitians and judges that we as fools put there to protect us.
What is even more wondersome is that these same criminals have convinced tea party members that it is in their best interests to support this line of action.
Good night and Good Luck !
Scott "Spiderman" Mulholland
March 15, 2011, 9:19 p.m.
There needs to be a lot more support in helping out those victims with Chinese drywall. It seems like no one is going to be held responsible for this while more and more Chinese products pour into the U S. If the products are not defective, fine, but if they hurt or damage hard working Americans and their assets, there should absolutely be some accountability for the billions of revenue being pocketed by those profiting by these goods. Just a thought!
http://www.BESInstitute.com One group that is trying to do somthing right about Chinese drywall.
wahomeowner
March 16, 2011, 11:53 a.m.
It is hard to believe that builders and suppliers did not know there were problems with the drywall before installation. Did the odor only occur once installed? How did so many homes end up with this product before someone noticed there was a problem? This should also illustrate the problems with a new home warranty. Home buyers are not consulted with regarding most products installed during construction and are not knowledgeable like a construction professional would be. The game of musical chairs with the home buyer left without a seat is how this has played out.
Pat
March 16, 2011, 4:38 p.m.
Of course,they knew but due to the high demand for homes during the feeding frenzy that occured during the runup before the housing collapse,noone cared because the builders and developers got their $$$$$$ and ran and now when they are being held acountable they are trying to weasel out(No offense to weasels) and their partners,local,state and federal agencies will do all they can to protect their funding. “We have met the enemy and it is us”! Remember this in 2012!!!!!
tommy
April 5, 2011, 2:13 p.m.
As campaign for election kicks in the power house has to accumulate as much money to fend off an attack to stay in power. What really needs to be addressed here if the voting public can oust for humanitarian sake our fearless leader and maybe all politicians will get the message it’s not about them,you have to look out for the American public.As we look over the past term what has been accomplished to retifie our homes from being gas chambers.many homeowners simply had to abandon their homes because of pure lack of goverment response to a foriegn made diaster. Just adding to the already overt amount of abandon homes in America.
In a system that lacks prudence to what is right and what is wrong way to many indiviuals and compaines just looked the other way and a stamp of approval is contiunuing in our offices of agencies who are supposed to be protecting the American public.
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