Federal investigators have found a "strong association" between the chemicals in Chinese drywall and their corrosive effects on homes, according to the second report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's inter-agency investigation into homeowner complaints. More than 2,000  homeowners from 32 states have reported to the CPSC that the drywall in their homes is corroding their electrical equipment and/or making them sick.

While stating that elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion had been found in homes containing the suspect drywall, the report was mostly silent on the health effects. But Jack McCarthy, a spokesman for the company that conducted the air quality study, said there may be a link.

“When we look at these levels, we see how this could possibly contribute to some of the health problems reported to the CPSC,”  McCarthy of Environmental Health and Engineering, told The New York Times. The CPSC said it is continuing to study the adverse health effects.

Released today were the results of indoor air quality studies of 51 newer homes—41 with Chinese drywall and 10 without—and two related studies on electrical and fire safety components. The CPSC said in a press conference that the information will help with efforts to develop tests and remediation programs for homes with the tainted drywall.

“We now have the science that enables the task force to move ahead to the next phase—to develop both a screening process and effective remediation methods," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum in a written statement. "Ongoing studies will examine health and safety effects, but we are now ready to get to work fixing this problem."
 
That should come as welcome news to affected homeowners although it is still unclear how a remediation program will be carried out and paid for. 

The CPSC is continuing to search for homes exhibiting the corrosion and health effects under study, said Scott Wolfson, an agency spokesman. In addition, the CPSC is contacting the governors of all states and territories to ensure that all homes with drywall problems have been reported to the agency. The task force will also study the condition of homes that have undergone remediation to see if it was effective.