Congress Mandates ASTM Set Standards on Tainted Corrosive "Chinese Drywall" - Any Factual Questions

Feb. 14, 2013 - PRLog -- To understand  what Congress has mandated, it is necessary to understand several issues.

First,  the interactions of a NGO (non-governmental organizations), like ASTM with Government and known testing facts  will demonstrate how this "mandate" is not only impossible for ASTM to initiate, complete, and comply with as a result of "junk science" concepts being assumed as facts (Junk Science) in lieu of basic "scientific" ASTM guidelines .

Scientific testing, testing validation, documented facts, and numerous other ASTM guidelines required to provide a "sulfur content" standard, per Congressional Mandate, can be compared to asking the auto industry to manufacture diesel or gasoline vehicles with NO emissions and deliver 100 miles per gallon without understanding how the "combustion engine" works or functions.

Sounds good, but NOT feasible.

Congress fails to understand that to date, NO ONE ... I repeat ... NO ONE ... can explain, validate, confirm, or even replicate - what or how the out-gassing associated with "tainted corrosive Chinese drywall" occurs, formulates, or manifests. Not to mention what chemical, biological, or organic interaction of materials can, could, or does cause the numerous and fluctuating levels of corrosive out-gassing vapors.  Corrosive out-gassing levels measured and documented by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories (LBNL), ASTM type "Chamber Testing" of drywall or sheetrock materials manufactured during 2005 -2009 from multiple manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, confirms the out-gassing components only, not how.

ASTM type "Chamber Testing" data performed by LBNL, at the request of the CPSC, in March of 2010, confirms, validates, and documents out-gassing levels varied not only from manufacturer to manufacturer, but also by what year they were manufactured by the same company.

http://www.constructionguru.com/index.php/chinese-drywall#chambertests

ASTM is a NGO that sets "standards" for manufacturing, production of components and / or finished products to establish or reference quality and guidelines of safety, code compliance, and / or meeting known environmental guidelines.

Simply stated, Foreman quickly realized, after analyzing over 100's of structures, the only element or component all structures had in common was their drywall or sheet-rock, in addition to the obvious - extensive corrosion of copper components (i.e. copper piping, copper HVAC Coils, copper electrical wiring, silver backed mirrors, and other associated components).

With that said, drywall or sheet-rock has been manufactured for over a 100 years and has been virtually safe (NO MAJOR CORROSIVE OUT-GASSING), manufactured under strict ASTM Standards and with little if any fan-fare or major measurable corrosive out-gassing issues until early 1999, when large quantities of imported drywall or sheet-rock materials entered the construction material supply chain.

Foreman participates as an active member of several ASTM Committees and Work Groups that have been working to solve the "tainted corrosive Chinese drywall" issue. He believes the Congressional Mandate is another classic example of how government does not understand the true and factual issues concerning the problem of "tainted corrosive Chinese drywall" that plagues structures in 42 of 50 states in our nation, and that ASTM, a NGO, will only establish guidelines that follow tested, confirmed, and documented scientific data, not "Junk Science".

Foreman and Associates, Inc. President, Michael S. Foreman continues to follow his established, validated, and environmental insurance-backed corrective "protocol," established March 2010, after his firm initiated a simple NDE (Non Destructive Examination or Evaluation) Protocol, widely accepted and used in the industry to diagnose houses or structures infected with tainted corrosive drywall (January 2009).

The Congressional Mandate requires ASTM set limits on a specific sulfur compound - S8 or orthorhombic sulfur that, to date, per extensive and known ASTM type Chamber Testing data, provided by LBNL, clearly shows NO correlation with corrosive out-gassing levels.

With that knowledge, ASTM will follow its standard protocols and policies initiating "Work Groups" and "Committees" to confirm, validate, and document within the 24 month Congressional Mandate.  Confirming LBNL facts, details, and testing data currently available and known is all clearly another waste of time, resources, and money.

Congressional Mandates may be appropriate, but this specific "Mandate" further confirms someone failed to do "homework" before voting to require a NGO like ASTM spend resources and time - trying to set a "Standard" that serves no purpose, validates nothing, and further adds cost to manufacturing "drywall,"  yet another example of misguided government involvement.

Foreman continues to provide an open door policy and shares his research on a daily basis with groups and individuals working to resolve the "tainted corrosive out-gassing" issue.

For more information ... visit ... http://www.constructionguru.com/

Michael S. Foreman

Forensic Construction Consultant