Fla. to test air in homes with Chinese drywall - AP

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Fla. to test air in homes with Chinese drywall

By BRIAN SKOLOFF – 22 hours ago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Officials in Florida will soon begin air quality tests in homes to determine whether fumes emitted from Chinese-made drywall can make people sick, the state Health Department said Friday.

Agency spokesman Doc Kokol said the tests, which he hopes will begin in several weeks, are complex and have never been done before.

"This is new science, nobody has tested drywall like this," he said.

An Associated Press review of shipping records found more than 540 million pounds of plasterboard was imported from China between 2004 and 2008 to meet U.S. demand during the national housing boom. Hundreds of people nationwide are now complaining that the material emits fumes that make them sick. They claim it also corrodes copper pipes, blackens jewelry and silverware and ruins air conditioners.

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Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jpih0xS6cypWMaQgq3Idjhmyik0AD97KF1JO1

[dkf]

1. Why can't they simply test what it is made out of?

I don't get it.

[AZCat]

3. They did that already.

An engineering company was contracted to analyze several samples, and they submitted their report to the Florida Department of Health about a month ago (March 19, 2009).

[dkf]

4. Well if it has toxic stuff in it, shouldn't it be replaced regardless of what

happens to air quality?

[AZCat]

6. We only care if the toxic stuff gets out.

Plenty of things in your house contain toxic material. But if that stuff stays contained, it isn't a problem.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. There are some things that just astound me for being imported in any great amount.

Drywall is right up there-- what is there about making drywall that's so goddamned expensive that it's cheaper to make it on the other side of the world and ship it here?
It's just fucking DRYWALL.

[quidam56]

5. China regulates US

Here in Appalachia, our mountains are being decapitated to get the coal to send to China to run their coal fired power plants, industry, government and schools. The trade off is so we can go to walmart and buy cheap toxic crap. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=138 Greed has destroyed US The schools here in Appalachia are so old and outdated, they can't even power up the latest technology our kids deserve to compete on a global scale.