Could Chinese Wallboard Problems Start to Plague U.S. Industry?
WASHINGTON – April 12 – The rising toxicity of coal combustion wastes used in U.S. construction poses new public health and regulatory concerns, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). New evidence about toxic elements in re-used coal combustion wastes and the absence of government regulation open the door to consumer traumas such as occurred with Chinese wallboard, which afflicted thousands of homes in the Southeastern U.S. One of the biggest components of the modern American home is gypsum, an average of more than 8 tons of which is spread over more than 6,144 square feet of wallboard. Gypsum used in wallboard now commonly comes from coal combustion waste as synthetic gypsum generated primarily by flue gas desulfurization. In 2001, only 15% of the total domestic gypsum supply was synthetic gypsum. By 2009, synthetic gypsum use had more than tripled, accounting for more than half (57%) of the national supply. Contaminated Chinese drywall is synthetic gyp
