Defective Chinese Drywall Hits North Carolina

Amanda Wick — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:28:50 GMT

As many have predicted, the Chinese drywall epidemic has been found in another Southeast state, this time North Carolina. Newsinferno just reported that the Flannigans, a family in Holly Springs, North Carolina, have sued their builder Stafford Custom Homes because their custom-built home contained defective Chinese drywall. The Flannigans reported all the common signs: their home has smelled like sulfur since they bought it in 2004, their furnace coils and other metals have corroded including jewelry and guitar strings that have turned black, and several family members have experienced chronic health problems since moving in.

The Associated Press has reported that this drywall may be in more than 100,000 homes nationwide. This was largely due to the drywall shortage that resulted during the housing boom from 2004 to 2008.

Given that the drywall seems to be exacerbated by the warm, humid climate in the south, we can only expect these cases to pop up more and more as we get closer and closer to the summer.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amanda Wick

The gloves come off in the debate over defective Chinese Drywall

Amanda Wick — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:50:54 GMT

Today, in an article on newsinferno.com, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) called for the resignation of Nancy Nord, head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), because of the CPSC's failure to respond to Florida’s drywall problems.

Nelson is quoted as saying, “The CPSC has the legal authority to stop the importation of this stuff and to cause a recall and utilize their legal authority to exact penalties and to seize the assets of these companies. Now, that’s what I have asked them to do... The CPSC ought to exert their powers, now the problem is, you’ve got a chairman, Nancy Nord that just is not doing their job and the administration is going to have to replace her with somebody that will.”

While the CPSC sent a five-member team to investigate in Florida, Nord's position is that it is too soon in the process to issue a recall.

Interestingly, the Chinese government has apparently launced its own investigation into the defective Chinese drywall and has told news sources that the Chinese FDA-equivalent is “very concerned” about the allegations made regarding the material.

While problematic reports have so far only come out of Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Virginia, the drywall was also imported through ports in California, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Georgia, Washington, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. As summer approaches and temperatures rise, so likely will the number of reports in warm, humid locales as these are factors that exacerbate the drywall emissions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amanda Wick

South Carolina Personal Injury Blog - Defective chinese drywall

Defective Chinese Drywall Hits North Carolina

The gloves come off in the debate over defective Chinese Drywall