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Hazard Assessment of Copper Corrosion and Air-Conditioner Evaporator Coil Failures Possibly Associated with Imported Drywall.

The Department of Health continues to identify and assess potential human health hazards related to the phenomenon of rapid and recurring corrosion of metals inside homes.   This phenomenon is suspected to be associated with the presence of Chinese drywall in homes built since 2001.

External links and PDF documents below open in a new window - Check this site often for future updates/changes as we update our knowledge

• Senator Bill Nelson wrote a letter to the Florida Surgeon General (450 KB PDF opens in new window), Dr. Ana Viamonte-Ros, to indicate that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are directing mortgage companies to provide a forbearance of up to six months for homeowners affected by corrosive drywall. To know if your loan is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac visit:
  http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/
  https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/
• Corrosive Imported Drywall Technical Symposium - November 5-6, 2009 - Tampa, FL
  

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Report

1-800-638-2772

On October 29, 2009 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released some documents as part of work being done by the CPSC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Florida Department of Health, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and the Virginia Department of Health. These agencies coordinated efforts to investigate and analyze how corrosive drywall entered the country, where it was used, what is in it, and what impact it may have on human health and corrosion of electrical and metal components.

Case Definition and Other Helpful Links

• Case Definition and Pictures (Does my home fit the investigation criteria - 12/18/2009)
• Self Assessment Guide - Developed for people to determine if their home is showing signs of corrosion and odors found to be present when Chinese Drywall has been used during construction or renovations
• CPSC/HUD Interim Guidance - Identification of Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall - January 28, 2010 - http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/InterimIDGuidance012810.pdf
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Timeline - A chronology of events related to issues involving imported drywall

Reported drywall cases to date (information subject to change - Map image below opens a larger 528 KB PDF version in a new window - Download the free Adobe Acrobat reader 8 or 9 version) *

Need Assistance?

• File a Consumer Complaint
• HUD to Assist Homeowners Facing Problem Drywall http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2009/HUDNo.09-237 - December 22, 2009, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• IRS tax relief, July 2, 2009, Internal Revenue Service ( < 1MB PDF)
• Florida Division of Emergency Management - Memorandum: Interim Emergency Management Director David Halstead To FEMA Regional Administrator Phillip May Regarding Chinese Drywall March 10, 2010 - Also available on the Florida Governors website
• Guide for health care providers - June 3, 2009, US Centers for Disease Control

Letters and Other Helpful Information

• Proceedings from the Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall - http://www.drywallsymposium.com
• Federal Trade Commission, Press Release, December 11, 2009 - http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/12/chinesedrywall.shtm
  Beware of Bogus Tests, Inspections, and Fixes for Damaged Drywall
• Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Alert, December 2009 - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt164.shtm
  Defective Imported Drywall: Don't Get Nailed by Bogus Tests and Treatments
• Letter to the Federal Trade Commission - (208 KB PDF opens in new window) November 16, 2009, Florida Senator Bill Nelson, and other 6 senators
• Letter from Senator Nelson to President Barack Obama - (16 KB PDF opens in new window)  October 29, 2009, Florida Senator Bill Nelson
• US EPA Drywall Letter to Governor Crist - May 26, 2009, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Memorandum: Interim Drywall Disposal Guidelines - May 28, 2009, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• Archive video of the Science and Transportation hearing on Health and Product Safety Issues Associated with Imported Drywall - May 23, 2009, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce
• US Centers for Disease Control Drywall Letter to Governor Crist - May 20, 2009, US Department of Health and Human Services
• Drywall Fraudulent Notices - May 19, 2009 Florida Department of Health, Lee County Health Department
• View the video - April 29, 2009, Dr. David Krause's presentation regarding issues related to imported drywall found in structures throughout Florida
• Con Artist Consumer Advisory  - April 23, 2009, Florida Attorney General
• Requests Assistance from Federal Partners - April 3, 2009, Governor Charlie Crist
• Drywall Power Point Presentation (HTML Version).  Download original power point file (10.3 MB Zipped Power Point file) - February 25, 2009, Florida Department of Health

Drywall Analysis Reports

• CPSC and EPA Reports

  • Drywall Information Center  - June 2009, US Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • CPSC/HUD Press Release, HUD and CPSC Issue Guidance on Identifying Problem Drywall in Homes - January 28, 2010 - http://www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall/hud10020.html
  • Technical evaluation by federal and state scientists of phosphogypsum - August 10, 2009, US Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • CPSC Imported Drywall Investigation Status Report - (294 KB PDF opens in a new window ) October, 2009, US Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • USCPSC Press Statement Regarding Drywall and Phosphogypsum - undated, US Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • CPSC Investigation of Imported Drywall Status Report - July, 2009, US Consumer Product Safety Commission ( < 1MB PDF)
  • Executive summary of interagency studies on corrosive imported drywall
  • Tab A: an elemental study of drywall
  • Tab B: preliminary findings from chamber studies
  • Tab C: report on a 10-home air monitoring study (8.5 MB .zip file)
  • Results and procedures used by the Florida Department of Health to investigate the four homes it studied as part of the 10-home air monitoring study. Interpretation and findings for the Florida data are included in the CPSC's 10-home air monitoring study report
  • Drywall Sampling Analysis Report - May 7, 2009, US Environmental Protection Agency
    
    
• Florida Reports
  • The Florida Report: (4.5 MB Zip file)
  • Preliminary Radiological Analysis Report - April 15, 2009, Florida Department of Health (136 KB PDF)
  • Senate drywall report (240KB PDF) - October 2009, State of Florida Senate
  • Initial Material Analysis Report - March 20, 2009 Department of Health and Unified Engineering (5.4 MB Zipped PDF)

Questions? Call your local County Health Department Environmental Health staff, or the Department of Health at 850-245-4288 or 800-543-8279.

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