Senators file legislation seeking help for homeowners with Chinese Drywall

The potential scope of the problem involving Chinese-made drywall is huge, with an estimated 60,000-100,000 homes nationwide affected. U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fl.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) filed legislation today in hopes of initiating a recall on tainted drywall from China. The goal of the legislation is to press the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a recall of the toxic drywall and also work with federal testing labs and the EPA to determine what safety hazards may result from exposure to the defective drywall. The legislation also calls on the CPSC to issue an interim ban on imports until it can create federal drywall safety standards. Chinese-made drywall has been linked to seeping gases that can corrode electrical wiring, metal pipes, blacken jewelry and metal wall fixtures, and be the cause a host of health problems. The long-term exposure risks to the drywall are still unknown. The senators are hoping that a recall by the CPSC will pave the way for financial assistance to be provided by manufacturers to affected homeowners who face huge repair costs to rid their homes of the toxic product. In Florida, an estimated 36,000 homes are believed to contain Chinese drywall, and tons of drywall was used in Louisiana for construction following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Click here to read more about legislation presented by Senators Nelson and Landrieu