ManufactureThis has previously posted blog items on unsafe products from China-- everything from Cadmium-laced Miley Cyrus bracelets to tainted Heparin medication (that killed dozens of Americans).  The list goes on and on-- toxic drywall, poisoned pet food...

Unsafe drywall has been a particular concern.  After Hurricane Katrina, builders in a number of states used large amounts of Chinese drywall, with much of it proving toxic and causing serious health problems and economic hardship for thousands of families.  Affected homeowners had no legal recourse since the drywall was made in China.

Thankfully, Congress has finally helped.  As Bill Bartel reports in The Hampton Virginian Pilot, both the House and Senate have passed a bipartisan Contaminated Drywall Safety Act (H.R. 4212).

Among its provisions, the bill:
•    Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should insist that the government of China force manufacturers to submit to the jurisdiction of U.S. courts;
•    Declares Chinese-manufactured drywall to be a banned hazardous substance in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Act while still allowing the CPSC flexibility to exempt manufacturers of non-hazardous drywall from the ban; and
•    Requires the CPSC to issue regulations on the disposal of Chinese drywall and create a standard test to identify such drywall.

Read more.