NEEDHAM, Mass., July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Environmental Health & Engineering (EH&E), Inc., a leading Massachusetts-based environmental and engineering consulting firm, has been contracted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to study the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in homes built using Chinese drywall. The study will compare findings in 35 homes built using Chinese drywall with 15 "control" homes. The drywall was imported into the United States earlier this decade due to a domestic shortage caused by a housing boom and construction following a series of hurricanes that struck the southeastern United States. It has been found that the drywall has high amounts of sulfur compounds, which are causing homeowners to experience foul odors, corrosion of electrical equipment and a host of health problems. EH&E was selected for the project based on its high level of expertise and field experience in characterizing complex indoor environments. The company had been the prime contractor for IAQ to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and two of its principals, John D. Spengler, Ph.D. and John F. McCarthy, Sc.D., C.I.H., edited what is considered the most comprehensive guide available today on indoor air quality, the Indoor Air Quality Handbook. "We're very pleased to have been selected for this important study," said McCarthy, President of EH&E. "Our team of dedicated professionals has the right experience in chamber simulations, advanced analytical assessment, data interpretation and comparative risk assessment to contribute to a clear understanding of the potential risks associated with these products." EH&E expects to work throughout the summer and complete the study in the fall of 2009.
