During the housing boom from 2004 to 2009, the government estimates approximately 309 million square feet of Chinese drywall was imported into the United States. Since then, more than 600 lawsuits have been filed alleging that the imported drywall contains sulfur compounds which when exposed to heat and moisture release sulfurous acids causing a noxious smell and corrosion of metals. Most significantly, the corrosion has been noted on copper components, such as wiring, refrigerator coils, and the coils of air handling units. The lawsuits also allege a variety of health issues. Although the majority of litigation is in the Southeast United States, reports indicate that the Chinese drywall may have been used in construction across the United States.
It was feared that the deaths of eleven (11) people living in Florida, Louisiana and Virginia in homes with defective drywall were linked to the tainted Chinese drywall. According to a recent CDC report, “People died without exception due to ‘preexisting chronic health conditions unrelated to imported drywall exposure.'” These findings by the Atlanta based CDC back up previous findings by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.