[LjsCar]

I have been getting sick at work every week. I was convinced it was because the place is under constuction and there is drywall dust everywhere. It got into the cabinets where the dishes are. I just read that there might be gluten in drywall. Is there any articles I can find information about this?

Thanks
Linda

[yolo]

LjsCar, on Jan 31 2009, 10:31 PM, said:

I have been getting sick at work every week. I was convinced it was because the place is under constuction and there is drywall dust everywhere. It got into the cabinets where the dishes are. I just read that there might be gluten in drywall. Is there any articles I can find information about this?

Thanks
Linda

I don't know about any articles about this subject. However I have been told there is gluten in the attachment of the paper that holds it together. There is a new kind of drywall that doesn't have paper that probably has gluten in it. Also the premixed plaster has gluten in it usually. YOu can mix your own plaster instead however.

[yolo]

LjsCar, on Jan 31 2009, 10:31 PM, said:

I have been getting sick at work every week. I was convinced it was because the place is under constuction and there is drywall dust everywhere. It got into the cabinets where the dishes are. I just read that there might be gluten in drywall. Is there any articles I can find information about this?

Thanks
Linda

I don't know about any articles about this subject, however I have had problems with this too given my work helping renovate old houses. However I have been told there is gluten in the attachment of the paper that holds it together. There is a new kind of drywall that doesn't have paper that probably has gluten in it. Also the premixed plaster has gluten in it usually. You can mix your own plaster instead however. Fixall has gluten in it as a major ingredient. And I imagine most other things like wood fill do too. In addition, plywood has gluten in the glue to help hold it together, so plywood dust from freshly cut plywood can be a problem too.

[janetw]

Call me crazy but...I get sick every single time I am around drywall. I first noticed it when we were doing some renovation work at home a few years ago. I also work occasionally on construction sites and can't even go into an area when the drywall is being finished. There is one very small study about inhaled gluten but I don't know of a study involving drywall specifically.

[janetw]

yolo, on Jan 31 2009, 10:38 PM, said:

I don't know about any articles about this subject, however I have had problems with this too given my work helping renovate old houses. However I have been told there is gluten in the attachment of the paper that holds it together. There is a new kind of drywall that doesn't have paper that probably has gluten in it. Also the premixed plaster has gluten in it usually. You can mix your own plaster instead however. Fixall has gluten in it as a major ingredient. And I imagine most other things like wood fill do too. In addition, plywood has gluten in the glue to help hold it together, so plywood dust from freshly cut plywood can be a problem too.

I knew about the joint compound but the plywood is new to me. I am going to check into that. Thanks yolo!

[LjsCar]

All I know is I have been sick for three weeks (since the construction began) with abdominal cramps and vomitting. My manager also has problems with gluten but she is not there as much as I am and she didn't seem to think it was the drywall dust, but I just knew it had to be. I need to know with proof so I can show her. I may not be able to work at all if this keeps up.

[RollingAlong]

You need the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the drywall and the drywall compound.

I don't know what brand materials are at your construction site, but I just googled MSDS and drywall, looked at the sheet and one of the ingredients is starch. More detective work needed or will this be enough for your boss give your symptoms?

[happygirl]

See this (older) thread, especially the links: http://www.celiac.co...showtopic=22435

http://books.google.com/books?id=ipb2MuTt0...result#PPA12,M1 from Bette Hagaman, a very well-respected Celiac cookbook author

http://www.homeimprovementtime.com/idea_fi...ll_products.asp

http://www.usg.com/USG_Marketing_Content/u...-96-1A_9-12.pdf

A published report (NEJM) about inhaled gluten http://www.celiaccentral.org/Research/Rese...30/vobId__1488/

[frieze]

5. Drywall and Building Supplies

If you're renovating your home or even just doing some minor repairs, you should know that some of the products you may use contain gluten ingredients.

For example, some brands of drywall and almost all of the compounds used to conceal drywall seams ("mudding" compounds) contain wheat as an ingredient, as do the spackle repair compounds used to fix small holes in walls. Gluten also can be found as part of the glue in some plywood, especially interior-grade plywood.

When you cut or sand these products, you'll be breathing (and swallowing) gluten dust, and that can lead to a horrible glutening. Wearing a full HEPA respirator (not just a dusk mask) can help, but you'd be better off leaving very dusty home repairs to someone else.