What Is Corrosive Drywall?

Health

• The corrosive drywall caused several problems for homeowners who had it in their homes. Some people complained of health issues they believed were related to the CDW. Sufferers reported itchiness in their eyes and skin, coughing, headaches and sinus problems. Many victims also noted that their problems eased when they left their homes. The drywall emitted certain sulfur gases that may have combined with other conditions in the home to cause the symptoms, according to the CSPC.

Corrosion

• Some homeowners with CDW noticed that certain components of their home, such as electrical wiring, seemed to corrode after the installation of the drywall. Studies undertaken at the instigation of the CSPC found limited corrosion on some electrical wiring, but found no evidence that the corrosion reached dangerous levels. However, the CSPC does recommend that homeowners replace various electrical components, such as switches, receptacles and circuit breakers.

Removal

• Only the removal of the tainted drywall from affected homes can resolve the problem of the emissions from CDW, the CSPS advises. Not only should all drywall be removed from the home, but workers need to dispose of all the dust from the demolition before starting any repairs. Some homes may have corrosive drywall in some parts of the house and unaffected drywall in others. Since finding individual problem drywall panels is difficult, the CSPC recommends that all drywall in the home come down.

Tracking

• Since the CSPC could not definitively prove that the drywall caused the reported health issues or metal corrosion, it was unable to take legal action against the Chinese distributors. The commission contacted the leading companies in the industry to recommend that every drywall panel contains a tracking label that identifies the manufacturer, making it easier to identify any problem panels. As of October 2011, the labeling issue remains unresolved.