April 29, 2009

Building Supplies

The elusive tale of toxic drywall from China

Richard Gilbert

staff writer

There is no evidence to support claims that toxic drywall imported from China has made its way to Vancouver, according to some B.C. construction industry experts.

“The story is full of innuendo and it is not supported by any evidence,” said Murray Corey, executive director of the B.C. Wall and Ceiling Association.

“There are no brokers or distributors of Chinese drywall that I am aware of. It is like we are trying to fight a ghost. This story has no legs of reality.”

Various media outlets in Canada have reported that about a dozen homeowners in Metro Vancouver have experienced health problems caused by the drywall.

“I can’t find any evidence either,” said Peter Simpson, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Homebuilders Association.

“I phoned five drywall suppliers and they have not heard of it. We checked into it and did our due diligence and found nothing to substantiate it.”

The source of this story is Thomas Martin, president of a US advocacy group called America’s Watchdog.

Toxic drywall was thought to have been a US problem until Martin said his organization was getting calls from concerned homeowners in Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby and West Vancouver.

He said the toxic drywall has also been shipped to the Prairies and Ontario.

After the story was published in Vancouver newspapers, Martin said he received about 300 phone calls from people in B.C.

“If there was bad product coming into this market, we would be more concerned than anybody,” said Corey.

“We have no knowledge whatsoever of this product entering our market. I am not aware of any area where it has been identified and no one has been able to confirm the existence of the product.”

Martin has been widely quoted as stating that he has research to show more than 900,000 square metres of the Chinese drywall was imported through Vancouver between 2001 and 2006.

He said it was bound for Canadian destinations.

“If this is happening, it is so under the radar or in the black market that we have not heard of it,” explained Corey.

“Any product coming into the country would have to get approval and be CSA certified. So it would have to be black market or unsanctioned activity.”

Corey said all reputable builders buy product that meets recognized standards and none would knowingly use uncertified products.

“Rogue drywall would only be used by a rogue builder,” explained Simpson.

“Who keeps track of rogue drywall? This guy is scare mongering.”

Corey said Chinese drywall entered the US market after Hurricane Katrina, because there was a shortage, but there was no shortage in Canada.

Builders and suppliers usually buy drywall from three companies, Canadian Gypsum, Georgia Pacific and Certainteed, which all have manufacturing plants in Canada.

Martin was contacted to find out where he got his statistics about Chinese drywall imports into Canada, but he refused to comment.

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