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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
WASHINGTON—The Consumer Product Safety Commission released interim remediation guidelines Friday for homes dealing with corrosion from Chinese drywall, saying the problem drywall must be removed.
The guidelines, put together by the Federal Interagency Task Force on Problem Drywall, say initial studies have “found a strong association between the presence of problem drywall and corrosion of metal in homes.” The interim remediation guidelines call for the drywall to be replaced, citing safety concerns.
“Based on the scientific work to date, removing the problem drywall is the best solution currently available to homeowners,” said Inez Tenenbaum, CPSC chairman, in a statement.
According to the interim guidelines, the following must be replaced:
“Replacement of all fire safety alarm systems, electrical components and wiring, gas service piping and fire suppression sprinkler systems should address the metal components in the home at greatest risk of being affected by drywall-induced corrosion in a way that may affect occupants' safety,” the CPSC's interim remediation guidance report said.
The task force also said it is aware that some home remediation efforts have included the replacement of copper water service plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning evaporator coils, but that replacement “is not included in this interim guidance because of the absence of a direct connection to safety.”
The task force added that “homeowners should recognize that homes can suffer from corrosion unrelated to drywall, and that such other corrosion problems may not be resolved by addressing the drywall.”
The interim remediation guidelines were released as litigation continues between the drywall’s manufacturers and distributors and homeowners. A multidistrict class action lawsuit—The Hernandez Family vs. Knauf Gips A.G. et al.—is considered the bellwether cases for litigation stemming from the tainted drywall.
The case is among 2,100 lawsuits filed nationwide regarding the problem drywall.
About 500 million pounds of tainted drywall was imported into the United States between 2004 and 2007, when the housing market peaked and the Southeast was rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. The drywall was traced to Chinese subsidiaries of German manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd.
The CPSC’s guidelines can be found at www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/guidance0410.pdf.