A New Product Scandal with Chinese made Wall Board?

[Engineer]

Even when there are regulations, bad manufacturers would still find someway to get around them, such as photoshopping their own regulation-approval.

 

[sumdud]

Well, if everything worked as according to plan and things were checked, this would not happen. Also, the South were using these because of sheet-rock shortage. Can't exactly choose your sheet rock then. Someone decided to let it be without announcement.....

It's not that China can't produce quality, but it's because that people tend to skimp out. If you buy from any major factory, you'd be fine. But personal connections probably work the best.... Still kind of hard though, since housing are build tenement style and a gold room in a lead building is no better than a lead building.

Green revolution?

 

[RedMercury]

Competition is cutthroat in China. Wanna start a dry board company? How are you going to compete with the many other established players? New entrants usually start by competing on value. They have to build up experience before they can compete on quality. Plus, margins are razor thin in low tech industry, so without much regulation, manufacturers cut corners.

 

[bladerunner]

I would take such product recall issues with a grain of salt. I don't want to defend China, but with so many trillions of dollars of trade China engages in, it's a wonder there aren't more recalls. I once saw an article by Reuters (i think) called "The truth behind China's toy hysteria," basically showing that statistically, China is not any worse in terms of export quality than any other nation.

All in all I agree with you.With the lead issue I remember reading about it being in the coloured plastic ribbing that lined baby's bibs. The scientists said the levels were so low the baby would have to suck and chew on it for about 1/3rd of its awakening time for 3yrs for there to be any effect. Besides the Americans were quite happy using petrol with a lead additive, which had a much higher concentration than the chinese products.
However I use to check the FDA reports for recalled products, and it did reflect a higher amount of Chinese made products being recalled on a percentage basis than any other country.