News Coverage
Feds continue to look at C8
Published April 15, 2003
Federal regulators Monday said that they need more information about a toxic chemical that DuPont uses to make Teflon products.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also formally released a draft assessment of the risks of the chemical C8.
EPA assistant administrator Stephen L. Johnson said that the agency "will be conducting its most extensive scientific assessment ever undertaken on this type of chemical."
A copy of the draft risk study and other documents about EPA's probe of C8 are available on the Internet at www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/index.htm.
C8 is another name for perfluorooctanoate, and is also known as perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA. It is part of a family of substances called perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs.
At its Washington Works plant in Wood County, DuPont has used C8 since 1951 to make polymers that are used in the production of Teflon.
For years, C8 and DuPont's emissions of it have been basically unregulated. But last year, federal officials launched a priority review of the chemical, because of growing concerns about human health impacts.
In a notice to be published in the Federal Register, EPA said that its preliminary study "indicates potential nationwide human exposure to low levels of PFOA.
"Based on certain animal studies, there could be a potential risk of developmental and other adverse effects associated with these exposures in humans," EPA said. "However, this assessment also reflects substantial uncertainty about the interpretation of the risk."
Earlier this month, the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group released its own report, arguing that C8 and related chemicals pose a growing health risk.
In a statement issued Monday afternoon, DuPont stood by its position that C8 use during the last 50 years "has not posed a risk to either human health or the environment."
Richard Anguillo, a DuPont vice president, said that the company would support EPA regulation of C8. "A well-informed regulation would help assure society is not being exposed to undue health or environmental risks," Anguillo said in the prepared statement.
EPA said that it will seek public comments, scientific input and hold a public hearing in June to continue its investigation.