And want those homes declared an emergency.
It appears much of this occurred during building in the 2004-2007 time frame, with a shortage of building materials caused by the 3 hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004.
From the Christian Science Monitor:
Tainted drywall from China is driving owners from their homesMiami - There was something that always bothered Rene Galvin when she walked in the front door of her new condo - an eye-watering, rotten egg smell that clung to the four walls and everything contained within them, from the furniture to her carpet and clothes. She could never quite put her finger on the cause of the foul odor that seemed to pervade every pore. "I'd just stand there, look around and say to myself: 'One day, I'll find out whatever it is that died inside these walls'," she says.
But there were further problems to come; mirrors that corroded around the edges, drains that rusted on the baths, pitted faucets, the television, computer, dishwasher, coffee pot, telephones, and air-conditioning system that all inexplicably broke down. Even the treasured gold-dipped necklace she wore around her neck turned black. Then there were the headaches, throat and sinus troubles.
"I had no idea what was going on. I thought 'Boy, the Florida air sure is bad'," she says with a wry laugh.
Humor, though, is not something that comes easily these days when she talks about her $500,000 home in Bonita Springs, Florida, that now sits empty after it was found to contain contaminated drywall from China.
Governor Charlie Crist has formally appealed to the CDC for help in the matter.
From the Herald Tribune:
Crist appeals to CDCGov. Charlie Crist has publicly addressed the issue of defective Chinese drywall for the first time, formally asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for help.
Crist, in a letter Friday to the EPA's administrator and the CDC's acting director, requested that both agencies "develop and implement chemical testing strategies in homes that are experiencing severe copper corrosion associated with Chinese-made drywall."
The EPA is now developing a protocol to test air samples from Florida homes, but has not yet conducted testing.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, called on Crist this week to declare a state of emergency over Chinese drywall, saying it would lead to the possibility of federal disaster funds being available to drywall victims. Wexler, who introduced the House version of new legislation proposed in the Senate Monday by Florida Senator Bill Nelson, wrote to Crist that the drywall problem was similar to "a natural disaster such as a hurricane, fire or flood."
Here is more on Crist's efforts to call attention to this problem.
From the Bradenton Herald:
Crist: Test air in Chinese drywall homes It’s the first time that Crist has gotten involved in the issue, which was first reported in Florida and now has surfaced in at least three other states.
Hundreds of homeowners in Manatee County and elsewhere in Florida contend some brands of Chinese drywall in their homes have emitted a “rotten eggs” odor, corroded metal pipes and electrical wires and caused health problems. That has led to several class-action lawsuits against drywall manufacturers and suppliers, and state and federal investigations.
Crist’s letter cited limited testing by state health officials that showed Chinese drywall samples taken from Florida homes contained higher concentrations of sulfur compounds and emitted sulfur gases when subjected to heat and humidity.
“The health hazards posed by exposure to chemicals in these homes are currently unclear, but we believe that a through and robust exposure assessment will enable DOH (Department of Health) to determine is a health advisory is warranted,” the letter said.
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