Stinky Chinese Drywall

As someone who has spent more time with drywall than I actually have desired (yet not nearly so much as a professional), I can say that I’m not overly fond of the stuff. It’s a great invention, mind you, and certainly more effective and easy to use than plaster and lathe. But hanging it is a pain and finishing it requires a certain “artistic” touch that I seem to have in only fits and spurts. Ceiling are especially annoying to me.

With all that said, however, let me just say that drywall (or “Sheetrock” or gypsum board, or however you’d like to refer to it) is great stuff, especially when I don’t have to work with it. Lately, however, there have been some issues with certain shipments of Chinese-made drywall that contains strontium sulfide, which apparently smells like sulfur (rotten eggs) when exposed to modest amounts of moisture. U.S.-made drywall, on the other hand, contains none of the material and thus doesn’t have the same unfortunate smell.

The question now is whether the drywall in question is merely stinky, or if it also poses a health threat. Many homeowners in select states have complained about the stench of their drywall, but the verdict is out on whether it’s actually toxic. Said Florida toxicologist David Krause:

It’s not that we are saying it’s safe. We are moving forward on a much more detailed, in-depth study.

Some homeowners in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington have complained about respiratory problems which some are attributing to the drywall.

Fortunately, it doesn’t appear as though any of the “bad” drywall has made its way to Maryland and, if the stories are any indication, it won’t any time soon. For those considering a move to those relatively warmer climes, however, be aware of the issue, which reminds me vaguely of the failing of FRT plywood (Fire Retardant Treated) that was used ubiquitously in townhomes in the 1980s.