http://www.ewg.org/issues/PFCs/20041216/index.php
December 16, 2004
From the Environmental
Working Group
DuPont Fails to Report
Another Teflon Health Study
High Cholesterol Levels in Teflon Workers Kept from EPA
Recently, lawyers for
an American chemical company called MIC Specialty
Chemicals, Inc. gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data
about workers whose blood is polluted with the Teflon chemical that has
prompted a lawsuit and what EPA has called 'the most extensive scientific
investigation ever undertaken on this type of chemical.' This
new data shows that workers in Italy with the Teflon chemical in their blood
had increased total cholesterol levels, a major risk factor for heart attack
and stroke (View PDF document: MIC
submission and Italian study reference).
Teflon maker DuPont
repeatedly claims there are 'no known health effects' associated with the
Teflon chemical. But this new cholesterol study is
the third in a series of studies conducted since 1994 pointing to excess
risks for stroke and heart attack among workers exposed to the Teflon chemical.
In worker blood studies conducted by 3M Corporation between 1994 and 2000,
scientists also found excess total cholesterol levels among Teflon-exposed
workers, and in 2001 3M published a study showing that workers exposed to
the Teflon chemical for between five and 10 years face a risk of dying of
stroke 15 times higher than non-exposed workers (Olsen et al. 2001a,
2001b; Alexander, 2001). 3M manufactured the Teflon chemical and supplied
it to DuPont until 2002, when DuPont began its own
production. Scientists from both 3M and DuPont were briefed on the
new cholesterol findings last Feburary and again in June of this year. Both
companies failed to submit the new data to EPA.
The EPA is trying to
figure out how this indestructible Teflon chemical has gotten into over
95% of Americans' blood; it is also suing DuPont for hiding health data
for over 20 years. The court case begins on December 16.
Timeline
1987-2003.
An American company called MIC Specialty Chemicals, Inc imports the Teflon
chemical from an Italian company that makes it, called Miteni. Miteni's
blood data of the past 17 years shows a slight increase of total cholesterol
in the workers, corresponding to elevated cholesterol found in both monkeys
and 3M workers exposed to the Teflon chemicals.
December 2003.In
December 2003, Miteni's researcher, a professor Giovanni Costa, sent blood
data to 3M for review. In February 2004, he met with 3M and DuPont experts
to discuss this blood data. Professor Costa then sent 3M and DuPont more
blood data, including some from this past spring. Costa's memo states that
DuPont expert Robert Rickard was scheduled in August to have a 'FYI' meeting
with EPA to discuss Teflon chemicals.
September 21,
2004. DuPont finally sent the data to EPA on September 21, 2004,
more than 200 days after the legal reporting deadline under the Toxic Substances
Control Act for studies that indicates 'substantial risk of injury to health.'
This failure to report carries a maximum fine of $27,500 per day, or more
than $6 million in this case.*
*source: Length of time
between February 15, 2004 and September 21, 2004 is 219 days. 219 days times
$27,500/day = $6,022,500.
References
Alexander, B.
2001. Mortality study of workers employed at the 3M Cottage Grove
Facility. Final Report. Division of Environmental and Occupational Health,
School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. AR 226-1136. Washington,
DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Olsen GW, Burlew MM,
Burris JM, Mandel JH. 2001a. A cross-sectional
analysis of serum perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate
(PFOA) in relation to clinical chemistry, thyroid hormone, hematology and
urinalysis results from male and female employee participants of the 2000
Antwerp and Decatur fluorochemical medical surveillance program. Final report.
3M medical department.
Olsen GW, Burlew MM,
Burris JM, Mandel JH. 2001b. A longitudinal
analysis of serum perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate
(PFOA) in relation to lipid and hepatic clinical chemistry test results
from male employee participants of the 1994/95, 1997, and 2000 fluorochemical
medical surveillance program. 3M final report.
