The Home Depot sold tens of thousands of aerosol cans of Sand ‘n Seal Grout Sealer to consumers as a do-it-yourself product for waterproofing tile grout.
The spray was sold for use in shower stalls and other poorly ventilated spaces. Home Depot and the maker of the Stand ‘n Seal, the Roanoke Companies, claimed that the product would “evaporate harmlessly” after the consumer sprayed it on grout and tile surfaces. In fact, the spray contained a toxic chemical. Inhalation of Stand ‘n Seal’s fumes can inflame the lungs and damage the respiratory system. Overexposure to the spray caused at least two deaths.
Roanoke receive the first report of a consumer suffering a respiratory injury in May of 2005, but waited until mid-June before notifying the Consumer Products Safety Commission (and only after a doctor threatened to do so on his own). The CPSC finally recalled the product in August 2005. Remarkably, the Home Depot continued to sell the recalled cans and Roanoke continued to distribute a formulation of the spray that contained the toxic chemical.
Consumers overexposed to Stand ‘n Seal Grout Sealer may have experienced the following symptoms and injuries:
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Vomiting
- Speech and/or memory loss
- Central nervous system depression
- Convulsions
- Loss of consciousness
- Lung damage
- Death
If you or someone you know has been hurt by exposure to Stand ‘n Seal and wants legal advice, then please contact our firm. There is no charge for an initial consultation.