A variety of public health officials testified last week at a hearing before the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, on the issue of allegedly toxic Chinese drywall installed in recently built homes.

Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the EPA, and Florida’s Department of Health outlined the plan to study the effects of the drywall in a small number of test homes, to be completed by the end of June, and then expand the studies to a large-scale sample. The CPSC is also working with China’s Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to find out how the drywall was made and to resolve significant difficulties in tracking the drywall’s source.

The testifying officials warned that efforts to mitigate the drywall effects on homeowners shouldn’t lead legislators to legislate policy ahead of scientific investigation. For example, Lori Saltzman, division director of the Office of Health Sciences at the CPSC, cautioned senators against legislation rushing to address any drywall issues before the ongoing studies are complete. And another panelist noted that a provision banning imported drywall composed of more than 5 percent organic material in a bill by Sen. Nelson, D-Fla., could shut down virtually all U.S. drywall imports, not just those from China suspected of being toxic.

According to allegations of homeowners, certain Chinese-made drywall — imported in the time frame 2005-2007 to meet an uptick in homebuilding demand after Hurricane Katrina — can cause respiratory problems and other health issues, produce a rotten smell, and corrode copper and metal fixtures, leading to fire hazards.

Randy Noel, a representative to the National Association of Home Builders, estimated the cost of replacing the Chinese-made drywall to be as much as $100,000 per home. More than 60 lawsuits have already been filed in seven states over the drywall, without conclusive scientific proof of its toxicity. Noel advocated a stay of the litigation until the CPSC and other agencies have concluded their investigations, identifying the scientific cause of the problems associated with the drywall and establishing a workable remediation strategy. He made the committee aware of a troubling new development in the area of drywall testing: the dramatic increase in the number of companies in the marketplace claiming to have the capability to test someone’s home to determine whether or not they have, or will have, a “toxic drywall” problem.

Not everyone has the same notion towards litigation: Saltzman reportedly remarked that the CPSC does not want to jeopardize any potential remedy for homeowners by having inadequate scientific proof to support and advance a possible court case.