Defective Chinese drywall won’t be recalled as other defective Chinese products have, Inez Tenenbaum, chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said Monday.

Tenenbaum also said she is waiting for October test results from a multi-agency investigation so the commission can establish a uniform protocol to remediate the drywall, and push Congress for a funding source to help homeowners.

Tenenbaum made the comments during a visit to the Cape Coral home of Richard and Patti Kampf.

It was the first time she had been in a home with the defective product. “I wanted to experience it firsthand,” she said, standing in the Kampfs’ vestibule.

She took a tour. The Kampfs showed her damage to plumbing fixtures, mirrors and other items.

“My heart goes out to the Kampfs and other people,” Tenenbaum said.

The CPSC is conducting a study of 50 homes across the country to test the gases emitted by the drywall and test the air quality. The EPA and Centers for Disease control are also conducting studies in cooperation with the safety commission.

The Kampfs’ home was one of the 50 tested. The couple have been activists in organizing meetings and pushing for government action.

“When I heard she was coming I didn’t know what to say other than ‘Hurray,’ ” Kampf said.

The results of all the studies will be released in October, Tenenbaum said. “My thoughts are we need to get answers for the Kampfs and other people.”

Tenenbaum said the drywall will not be recalled because the product is not the same across the board, such as in the case of a defective toy.

There are several Chinese manufacturers, the drywall is not all made the same way and some Chinese drywall does not cause problems, she said.

Another difficulty is the sheer amount that has come into the United States, she said. In 2006 alone, nearly 7 million sheets of drywall were imported into the U.S. Another 28,778 sheets were imported into Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.

The commission is monitoring ports to make sure no more comes into the country, she said.

The defective drywall is said to have been imported mainly from 2004 to 2007. It has a foul smell, emits sulfur compounds that corrode air conditioning coils and other metal items in the home. Many homeowners complain of health issues from nosebleeds to respiratory problems.

Federal and state officials have not determined definitively whether the drywall is harmful to health.

The drywall has now been found in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Southwest Florida is the epicenter of the problem, with an estimated 7,500 homes affected.

Tenenbaum lauded Florida Sen. Bill Nelson for his efforts to bring the drywall issue to the forefront in Congress. Nelson had lambasted the CPSC at a congressional hearing for the slow response to the problem.

President Obama subsequently removed the head of the CPSC and replaced her with Tenenbaum in June.

“When I came to the CPSC there was not a sense of urgency,” Tenenbaum said.

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