Parkersburg News and Sentinel, Pam Brust
Published June 29, 2005
PARKERSBURG - C-8 is a likely carcinogen in humans, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board C8 Risk Assessment Review Panel's draft report released this week.
The 17-member panel, in its 31-page draft report, reached the conclusion of "suggestive evidence for potential human carcinogenicity of C8." The report notes "in considering the collective evidence the majority of panel members concluded that the experimental weight of evidence with respect to the carcinogenicity of C8 was stronger than proposed in the draft document, and suggested that C8 is a likely carcinogen in humans."
C8 is used by Dupont at the Washington Works to make Teflon and was discharged into water supplies. Residents in the area of the plant sued the company over health claims .
Washington Works Plant Manager William H. Hopkins issued a statement this morning in response to the advisory board's draft report.
"The draft report released today by the Science Advisory Board is one step in an ongoing process to review and comment on the scientific soundness of the EPA draft risk assessment on C8. DuPont welcomes the opportunity to provide comments to the SAB draft report during the teleconference scheduled July 6. Based on an evaluation of human health and toxicology studies, DuPont believes that the weight of evidence suggests C8 exposure does not cause cancer in humans, and does not pose a health risk to the general public. To date, no human health effects are known to be caused by C8 even in workers who have significantly higher exposure levels than the general population," according to a press release issued this morning by DuPont.
Hopkins said the SAB has expressed a need for more human health data and a desire to consider the relevance of human health data to the risk assessment.
"We concur and believe that health data on workers, the highest exposed population, are the most relevant data and deserve greater consideration in the EPA's final risk assessment rather than relying solely on animal testing models," Hopkins said.
"DuPont recognizes the presence of C8 in human blood raises questions that should be addressed and continues to fully support the EPA risk assessment process," he said.
The draft report notes studies involving rats and other animals are inconclusive regarding the effect C8 may have on humans. Local officials reacted with caution to the report.
Manager Bob Griffith of the Little Hocking Water Association, one of the six water districts considered class members in the recently settled C8 class action lawsuit, said he's seen the report.
"It basically just says we need to look at it closer. It has been linked to cancer in animals, but they just can't say at this point. I think they are in the same place we are, it could, but there's been nothing definitive yet," he said. "Of course we are concerned, a year ago we notified our customers they were drinking the water at their own risk. Because there is uncertainity, they need to take a closer look, and at some point, make a definitive finding that it is or is not, that's what people really want to know," he said.
Griffith said he provided written comments in February, "just to let them know how real people were being affected by this."
Charleston attorney Harry G. Deitzler, one of the plaintiff's attorneys, said he was not surprised by the draft report.
"It's what we've been saying for almost five years now. The wheels of government to move somewhat slowly at times. I would hope the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection would make note of this when it considers the concerns regding the Dry Run Landfill, particularly the fact that the water goes directly from the landfill into the Ohio River," Deitzler said.
The EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics requested the science board review the Draft Risk Assessment of the Potential Human Health Effects Associated with Exposre to Perfluorooctonic Acid (PFOA or C8). A panel of the EPA Scientific Advisory Board met in February for the review during which nine questions were delivered. Those included carcinogenicty descriptors, useful models for evalaution of health effects, toxicokinetic consideration and reliance on currently available human biomonitoring data.
The study notes "it is important to note that all of the key findings and recommendations from the panel deliberations were based on currently avaialable published data and the understanding that furuther risk assesmsent will proceed as more data on C8 health effects becomes available." The report noted the panel believed C8 is a more serious health threat than the EPA reported in a risk assessment study released in January.
Members of the EPA Science Advisory Board panel are scheduled to review the draft during a public meeting July 6 in Washington. On July 5, the state Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to review a state Department of Environmental Protection permit for a waste dump used by DuPont. The permit relates to a waste dump where DuPont has disposed of C8-containing waste. DEP officials have declined to limit the amount of C8 the landfill can discharge into a nearby creek.
A copy of the EPA advisory panel's report is available
http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/pfoa_rev_panel.htm.
A class action lawsuit was originally filed in August 2001 by Lubeck and Washington area residents who alleged their health was harmed by C8.
DuPont has contended and continues to contend C8, a detergent-like substance, has no harmful human health effects. In February, Wood County Circuit Court Judge George W. Hill gave final approval to a settlement in the civil suit. As part of that agreement, DuPont is paying for a health, education project gathering medical histories and blood samples from class members who have been exposed to C8. Those blood tests are expected to begin around mid-July. The information gathered will be compared to an unexposed population to help identify any adverse effects of C8 exposure, if there are any. A three-member independent scientific panel of experts will then evaluate evidence to determine any link between C8 exposure and any human disease.
If the panel determines there is a probable link between C8 exposure and any disease, DuPont will fund a medical monitoring program for up to $235 million to pay for testing determined to be necessary. Class members will retain their right to file personal injury claims and related damages if an association is found.
