A new chapter has been written in the saga of the toxic Chinese drywall that is sickening homeowners and corroding their homes from the inside out. Readers of past posts know that drywall imported from China between 2005 and 2007 contains chemicals and emits gasses that smell like rotten eggs but carry a fiercer wallop. It is estimated that as many as 250,000 homes in 13 states containing this drywall are experiencing corrosion in electrical wiring and HVAC units as their owners experience a myriad of illnesses and symptoms. The effects are particularly hazardous to children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with pre-existing respiratory illness. As Senators Ben Nelson (D-FL) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) continue to call for Congressional hearings on the subject, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) has taken an active role in trying to find solutions to the problem. Last month, Wexler wrote to Florida Governor Charlie Crist asking that the areas containing toxic drywall homes be declared an “emergency” so that homeowners can receive FEMA assistance. Although Governor Crist has not agreed to that recommendation, he has won praises from Rep. Wexler for his actions, and has been active in pushing for federal assistance from the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control as well as giving state agencies the green light to aggressively investigate the problem and pursue solutions. A bit of the mystery of what exactly in-toxic-ated the drywall may have been solved by a Florida environmental consulting firm. After inspecting and analyzing the Chinese drywall, Intuitive Environmental Solutions believes that the gypsum used to manufacture the drywall was recycled from its use as filtering material inside the smokestacks of China’s notoriously polluting coal-fired energy facilities. Let me repeat that in case it didn’t sink completely. To save the money required to produce clean drywall, the Chinese manufacturer scraped crud from the inside of nasty smokestacks and sent it over here for Americans to use in their homes. When that drywall meets humidity, it emits sulfur dioxide, carbon disulfide and other “ides” too numerous to mention. These particulates are acidic in nature, and immediately start rotting everything it their path, including people. This is not a minor, hiccupy, “what else is new?” China problem. It is huge. Each week, more homeowners have to leave their homes to live in hotels or with family to escape the leaching toxins. This writer is not a big fan of FEMA trailers as the answer to every housing problem that pops up. However, in this case, the failure of responsible agencies to ensure that consumer products are safe warrants significant intervention. With my conservative credentials still intact, I agree with Rep. Wexler and his idea to provide housing for affected families, at least in the short term while the analysis continues and long-term solutions are developed. Making sure that homeowners have a safe environment to live in while they continue to pay mortgages on toxic homes seems the least the government can do. And the bill for supplying such housing to these homeowners should be sent in an official U.S. Government envelope directly to China, return receipt requested.