Absurdity, Allegory and China

The drywall problem in southwest Florida that has been traced back to Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China continues to grow. A January 14, 2009 story by Mary Wozniak in the Fort Myers, FL News-Press raises the possibility that the suspect wallboard may have been used in the construction of three charter schools in the Cape Coral.

Jacksonville-based builder is investigating whether controversial Chinese drywall was used to build three Cape Coral charter schools, two parks and a waste-water treatment facility.

The Haskell Co., which builds projects in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, responded Tuesday to Cape Coral Mayor Jim Burch’s call for an investigation into the construction of all city buildings during years the drywall was imported to the U.S.

“I have growing concern that the Chinese drywall problem could present serious economic and health challenges to Lee County,” Burch wrote in a Monday memo to City Manager Terry Stewart.

“The one action we can take would be to investigate all new construction of city-owned and/or operated structures during the time that this product was utilized,” Burch wrote.
The mayor said he was concerned whether the product was in Cape Coral charter schools.

These complaints have been coming into Knauf since late 2006, though it appears now to finally be getting more national (US) media exposure. The WSJ wrote it up January 11, 2009, and MSNBC picked up this story from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (January 12, 2009).

“The builders are in fear right now; they want to keep it as quiet as possible,” said Mike Foreman, a Sarasota construction consultant who has been investigating the drywall issue. The damage to houses is considerable and very expensive to fix, he said.

“What’s really the concern is what the long-term effects are on piping, wiring, everything that has been exposed,” Foreman said. “Now you’re talking about starting to have failures. It’s not enough to just rip it out without addressing all these other components.”

Corroding wires could pose an increased risk of electrical fire, for example.

“The builders know this could be huge, there is no doubt they’re worried,” Foreman said.

Many builders who have been contacted refuse to speak. Besides the health and safety concerns, there are other serious questions being raised by homeowners who see themsleves as being stuck with unsellable homes at a time when homes are already hard enough to sell.

Lennar Coproration, the area’s largest home builders, has already begun to remove drywall from some homes. This one may get a lot bigger, though it is getting absolutely no coverage in China, which is not a surprise. Image is, of course, everything, and no one wants to hear another “Made in China” horror story. But this one is already being told, and it appears to be just a matter of time before it gets more attention.
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Related post: Another Chinese Product Problem
Related link: Homeowners say Chinese drywall making them sick