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July 2003
July 17, 2003 | A chemical associated with dozens of popular consumer products has proven to be surprisingly toxic and pervasive. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting the most extensive scientific review in the Agency's history to find out how this chemical has contaminated the blood of over 90% of Americans.
This chemical belongs to the family of "perfluorochemicals" (PFCs), many of which never break down in the environment. They are used in brand name consumer products such as Stainmaster, Scotchgard, Gore-Tex and Teflon.
A key Teflon ingredient, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is the subject of the EPA's review. The public health stakes are high but lobbyists for DuPont and other chemical industry giants are hijacking the process by limiting what consumers will be allowed to know.
EWG believes that with the public health stakes this high, openness is the best policy. Should industry lobbyists be allowed to limit what the public will be told about how these Teflon-related chemicals have gotten into our bodies? The products tested should be named, and the number of products should be greatly expanded.
Download a PDF of the only information the chemical industry will allow you to see.
* This document obtained by EWG was presented at a stakeholders' meeting with the EPA by lobbyists for DuPont and the Japanese chemical companies Asahi Clariant and Daikin Industries. This is the only information industry will release to the public.