Florida to test air in homes with Chinese drywall

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Officials in Florida will soon begin air quality tests in homes to determine whether fumes emitted from Chinese-made drywall can make people sick, the state Health Department said Friday.

Agency spokesman Doc Kokol said the tests, which he hopes will begin in several weeks, are complex and have never been done before.

"This is new science, nobody has tested drywall like this," he said.

USA TODAY wrote about the issue in March, saying that "homeowner lawsuits allege that the drywall has corroded air conditioning and refrigerator coils, microwaves, computer wiring, faucets and copper tubing." It has also been blamed for health problems.

Estimates indicate the drywall may be in more than 100,000 homes, more than 35,000 in Florida alone. The state Health Department has logged 265 complaints so far. Lawsuits against the Chinese manufacturers, builders and suppliers have been filed in several states, including Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

Companies that produced some of the wallboard said they are looking into the complaints, but downplayed the possibility of health risks.

Kokol said the department is looking for a lab to conduct the tests and the agency hoped to have equipment installed in a few homes with the drywall, and some without, in several weeks.

Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Dave Aronberg on Friday called on Gov. Charlie Crist to create a statewide task force to investigate the problems. "The longer we wait, the worse the situation will be," Aronberg said.

Crist's office said the state is already entrenched in a major investigation led by Florida's surgeon general and also is working with the federal government, which is also investigating.

Crist and Gov. Bobby Jindal in Louisiana, where the drywall turned up in some homes rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, have asked for assistance with chemical testing from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Legislation also has been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate, calling for a temporary ban on the Chinese-made imports until more is known about their chemical makeup.