$2 million sought to test Chinese drywall
WASHINGTON - Democratic Sens. Bill Nelson of Florida and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana introduced a $2 million measure Wednesday to pay for additional testing on Chinese drywall, which has been linked to health problems in those states and across the country.
Some of the money would help finance a campaign to make people aware of health and construction problems related to the product.
The measure would be attached to a supplemental spending bill now being debated in Congress. If approved, most of the money would go to the Environmental Protection Agency. Preliminary EPA test results show distinct differences between Chinese and U.S.-made drywall, but the agency said additional reviews are needed.
"It's very important that consumers get to the bottom line of what this product is, how it's made (and) what the ramifications are," Landrieu said during a news conference at the Capitol.
Homeowners who have used Chinese drywall have complained the product emits a rotten-egg smell and has corroded wires and appliances. It also has blackened showerheads, door hinges and other metal objects in their homes, including jewelry, they said. They also have complained about asthma and respiratory problems, something Nelson said he experienced when he visited a Florida home built with the drywall.
"We've had mommas and daddies having to vacate their homes because their pediatrician has told them, 'I can't pinpoint the cause of this respiratory problem of the child, but you've got to get the child out of that environment,"' he said.
Although initial problems were reported in Florida and Louisiana, Landrieu said complaints now stretch across a dozen other states. Most of the problems stem from people living in homes built or renovated after 2004.
Chinese drywall has been used in an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 homes nationwide, Nelson said. In Florida alone, it may be in 36,000-50,000 homes, he said.
A Senate panel will hold a hearing today on the issue. Witnesses include experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
