A Chinese drywall manufacturer has agreed to fund repairs for U.S. homes after allegations that its product caused health problems and property damage.
According to a plaintiffs’ committee, Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin will finance a pilot program to replace drywall in 300 homes across Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi as part of a settlement intended to address complaints tied to imported Chinese drywall.
A federal consumer safety study previously found hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde gases in numerous tested homes, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported. Two additional preliminary studies released last year detected copper sulfide corrosion on metal components removed from homes containing the suspect drywall.
The affected drywall was imported between 2005 and 2007, during a period of high demand for building materials following a housing boom and two active hurricane seasons in the southern United States. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said it received several thousand complaints from homeowners in 32 states, with the majority coming from Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia. Complainants reported a persistent rotten-egg odor, illness, malfunctioning appliances, and corroded wiring and plumbing. Some homeowners also reported denial of coverage by their insurers.
Homeowners have alleged that gases released from the drywall led to appliance failures, degradation of copper wiring, and long-term upper respiratory illnesses. In response, the drywall company’s attorney stated that the manufacturer was “standing behind its product.”
This settlement is intended as an initial remediation effort; the pilot project will evaluate repair procedures and help determine next steps for affected homeowners. Observers and homeowners are watching to see whether other manufacturers implicated in prior reports will contribute to remediation or reach similar settlements.
photo: barron