Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Gulf Coast was inundated with building materials from all parts of the United States and in some cases overseas.  Drywall was a major staple in the rebuilding of homes and business throughout the Gulf Coast. But what we didn't realize was that some of the drywall used to rebuild was possibly defective Chinese drywall.  According to the Associated Press, more than 500 million pounds was imported to the U.S., enough to build around 100,000 homes. Although the Chinese drywall was likely used throughout the country, it's now reported that some ended up being used in Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Gulfport and d'Iberville. 

How can you tell if perhaps Chinese drywall was used to build or rebuild your home or business? Reportedly, Chinese drywall emits sulfur fumes that produces a "rotten eggs" odor and cause metals, such as air conditioning coils, and electrical wiring to corrode. The fumes have also been associated with respiratory and sinus problems in some local residents.

The first complaints came from Florida, where tests conducted by the state health department found that samples of Chinese drywall contained higher levels of sulfuric and organic compounds than American-made sample. The Chinese samples contained traces of strontium sulfide while the American sample did not. Strontium sulfide is a gray powder that emits a hydrogen sulfide, or "rotten eggs," odor when exposed to moist air. The three Chinese samples also contained higher levels of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, and carbon disulphide than the American drywall. These compounds are potentially toxic, and carbon disulphide in liquid form is extremely flammable.

Here in Mississippi, the first report came from a homeowner in Pearl County. See  www.PicayuneItem.com. According to the PicayuneItem.com report, a local inspector found evidence of tainted Chinese drywall in a home located in the Round Rock Subdivision in Mississippi's Pearl County. The inspector said that air conditioning coils in the home have been replaced because of corrosion on three occasions. The inspector found Chinese drywall in the home, which was built only three years ago, as well as heavy black corrosion on the copper components of the water heater and electrical wiring, the PicayuneItem.com said. Finally, the inspector described a strong odor in the house, a major characteristic of the sulfur chemicals released from the drywall

So far, most of the drywall complaints have come from the southern states, where a warm, humid climate are conducive to the emission of sulfur fumes. In Louisiana, there have been at least 350 reports, and a few cases now being reported here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Alabama, Virginia and North Carolina.

Some of the local health officials we've spoken with say that it's difficult to say why the drywall is emitting sulfur fumes, but according to one local home inspector, the fact that it was made from scrubber residue which is calcium sulfate, also known as synthetic gypsum.fly ash - a waste product of coal burning - could provide a clue.

The situation has prompted calls for government intervention. The governors of both Florida and Louisiana have asked the Federal Government to step in, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission is in Florida testing drywall. Bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress calling for a recall and a ban on Chinese drywall. Others are advocating for financial assistance for homeowners dealing with drywall problems.