The Investigation
CPSC's science-driven investigation of problem drywall began in early 2009 when the agency heard from families and states that were impacted. CPSC visited affected homes to see the problem first hand and to meet homeowners in person who were experiencing this problem, sent an investigative team to China, and launched dozens of scientific studies to determine if there was a health and safety hazard. The agency joined forces with the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to form the Federal Interagency Task Force on Problem Drywall.
Scientific studies funded by CPSC at the nation's top laboratories determined a strong association between problem drywall, hydrogen sulfide and corrosion. Importantly, this led to the development of identification and remediation guidance for homeowners with problem drywall.
CPSC is confident that its extensive research and testing have been successful in defining the scope of the problem drywall issue, in producing identification and remediation protocols, and in providing homeowners with all the assistance possible within the agency's jurisdiction and appropriated funds authority.
- Guidance documents
- Press statements/Video News Releases
- Letters from CPSC
- Status Reports to Congress
- Reports of Scientific Investigation
- Incident Reports Made Public
- Media Conference Calls/Readouts
Guidance
- Remediation Guidance for Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall, March 15, 2013 (PDF)
- Identification Guidance for Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall, March 18, 2011 (PDF)
Press statements/Video News Releases
- CPSC Completes Final Studies to Help Affected Homeowners Remediate Problem Drywall, September 15, 2011
- CPSC Investigation Finds No Problem Drywall or Environmental Factors Linked to Ft. Bragg Deaths, February 10, 2011
- CDC Review Finds No Link Between Problem Drywall and 11 Reported Deaths, January 31, 2011 (PDF)
- IRS Provides Relief for Homeowners with Corrosive Drywall, September 30, 2010
- CPSC Identifies Manufacturers of Problem Drywall Made in China, May 25, 2010 (PDF)
- CPSC Alert to Fire Safety Professionals, March 2010 (PDF)
- HUD and CPSC Issue Guidance on Identifying Problem Drywall in Homes, January 28, 2010
- Interim Guidance - Identification of Homes with Corrosion from Problem Drywall, January 28, 2010(PDF)
- HUD Press Release, "How to Assist Homeowners Facing Problem Drywall", December 22, 2009
- Press Statement on Corrosion in Homes and Connections to Chinese Drywall, November 23, 2009 (PDF)
- CPSC, EPA, CDC/ATSDR, HUD Press Statement on Drywall Air Sampling (PDF)
- Drywall Video News Release, October 2009
- Press Statement on Phosphogypsum (PDF)
- Press Statement (PDF) on CPSC, EPA, HUD, CDC, and ATSDR's drywall investigation
Letters from CPSC
- CPSC Chairman's Letter to State Governors (PDF)
- CPSC General Counsel IRS Drywall Guidance Letter (PDF)
Status Reports to Congress
- September 2010 (PDF)
- August 2010 (PDF)
- July 2010 (PDF)
- June 2010 (PDF)
- May 2010 (PDF)
- April 2010 (PDF)
- March 2010 (PDF)
- February 2010 (PDF)
- January 2010 (PDF)
- December 2009 (PDF)
- November 2009 (PDF)
- October 2009 (PDF)
- September 2009 (PDF)
- August 2009 (PDF)
- July 2009 (PDF)
Reports of Scientific Investigation
- NIST Engineering Study of Effects of Problem Drywall on Smoke Alarms and Staff Cover Memo: September 15, 2011 (PDF)
- NIST Engineering Study of Effects of Problem Drywall on Fire Sprinklers and Staff Cover Memo: September 15, 2011 (PDF)
- NIST Metallurgy Study of Effects of Problem Drywall on Gas Distribution Pipes and Fire Safety Components and Staff Cover Memo: September 15, 2011 (PDF)
- USGS Drywall and Gypsum Microbiological Report and Staff Cover Memo: September 15, 2011 (PDF)
- LBNL Problem Drywall Chamber Emissions Phase 2 Report and Staff Cover Memo: September 15, 2011(PDF)
- CPSC Staff Summary of Contractor’s Assessment of Residences Containing Problem Drywall: Six Home Follow-Up Study, May 13, 2011 (PDF)
- Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment of Residences Containing Problem Drywall: Six-Home Follow-Up Study, May 12, 2011 (PDF)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Staff Summary of Contractor's Evaluation of Homes Reported to be Constructed with Domestic Drywall, April 15, 2011 (PDF)
- Evaluation of Homes Reported to Be Constructed with Domestic Drywall, EH&E Report 17314, April 12, 2011 (PDF)
- Report on Study of Electrical Component Corrosion Related to Problem Drywall (PDF)
- EH&E Report: Problem Drywall Assesment and Indoor Environmental Quality Evaluation for Two Homes in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, February 7, 2011 (PDF)
- CDC Summary of Reviews of Deaths Related to Exposure to Imported Drywall, January, 2011 (PDF)
- LBNL Chamber Emissions Study, October 2010 (PDF)
- Identification of Problematic Drywall: Source Markers and Detection Methods, June 2010 (PDF)
- Drywall Emissions Chamber Testing (LBNL) Table, May 27, 2010 (PDF)
- CPSC Staff Preliminary Evaluation of Drywall Chamber Test Results, March 2010 (PDF)
- Consumer Product Safety Commission Staff Summary of Contractor's Report on PreliminaryMicrobiological Assessment of Chinese Drywall (PDF)
- Draft Report on Preliminary Microbiological Assessment of Chinese Drywall, March 26, 2010 (PDF)
- EH&E 51-Home Air Sampling Report (final report), June 2010 (PDF)
- Executive Summary of November 2009 Reports (All PDF):
- EH&E 51-Home Air Sampling Report (draft final report)
- Preliminary Fire Safety Component Corrosion Study - Preliminary Analysis of HVAC, Gas Distribution, and Fire Safety Equipment Installed in Homes with Chinese Drywall
- Preliminary Electrical Component Corrosion Study - Status of the Analysis of Electrical Components Installed in Homes with Chinese Drywall
- Identification of Problematic Drywall: Source Markers and Detection Methods, June 2010 (PDF)
- Release of Initial Chinese Drywall Studies (all PDF):
- Technical evaluation by federal and state scientists of phosphogypsum (PDF)
Incident Reports Made Public
- In-Depth Investigations (IDIS) on Imported Drywall - original 44 IDIs released in October, 2009 and the updated IDIs released on June 30, 2010
- Summaries of CPSC’s Incident Investigations (PDF)
Media Conference Calls/Readouts
- November 23, 2009 Media Conference Call (MP3)
- October 29, 2009 Media Conference Call (MP3) (transcript) (PDF)
- Chairman's Florida Drywall Visit