Councilman Jim Wood will ask the City Council on Tuesday to ban the use of Chinese drywall when constructing or renovating a building in the city.

Wood said he has confirmation that gypsum wallboard imported from China was used in Virginia Beach in 2006 and 2007.

The ordinance would require contractors to certify they are not using Chinese drywall when applying for a building permit. It would be similar to the ban approved in Norfolk last week.

“What I’m looking for is something that’s absolutely enforceable and protects the community but is not something done in haste that could be overturned,” Wood said Friday.

Manufactured in China, the drywall emits a sulfuric odor and is blamed for damaging air-conditioning systems and electronic wiring and for causing some health concerns.

At least 100,000 sheets of Chinese-made drywall – enough to build more than 300 homes – were imported to Hampton Roads in 2006 by a Norfolk-based distributor, Venture Supply Inc. After Norfolk’s ban this week, the company began disposing of its remaining 55,000 sheets.

The drywall has also been found in housing developments in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Williamsburg and northeastern North Carolina.

Several lawsuits concerning the drywall have been initiated locally, including one by five homeowners filed in U.S. District Court in Norfolk.

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