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March 2, 2006
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Press Release
100% Participation and Commitment in EPA's
PFOA Stewardship Program
Contact: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355 / jones.enesta@epa.gov
(Washington, D.C. – March 2, 2006) EPA has received 100
percent participation and commitment in its Global Stewardship
Program that will dramatically reduce perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
in the environment. Under EPA's leadership, eight companies are
voluntarily agreeing to take action now to reduce PFOA releases
and product content levels.
"Today we have 100 percent participation and 100 percent
commitment. And it's 100 percent the right thing to do,"
said Susan H. Hazen, EPA's acting assistant administrator for
Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. "We applaud
these companies for their commitment to reducing the amount of
PFOA getting into our environment."
The eight companies are: Arkema, Asahi, Ciba, Clariant, Daikin,
DuPont, 3M/Dyneon, and Solvay Solexis. They are agreeing to reduce
PFOA releases and levels in products by 95 percent by no later
than 2010, and to work toward elimination of these sources of
PFOA exposure five years after that, but no later than 2015. Companies
are being asked to meet these commitments in the United States
as well as in their global operations.
PFOA is a processing aid used in the manufacture of other non-stick
and stain-resistant surfaces and products. PFOA may also be produced
by the breakdown of fluorotelomers, which are used to impart water,
stain, and grease resistance to carpets, paper and textile. PFOA
is also persistent in the environment. It has been detected in
low levels in wildlife and humans, and animal studies conducted
have indicated effects of concern.
The use of PFOA in the manufacturing process does not mean that
people using these products would be exposed to PFOA. The agency
does not believe that consumers need to stop using their cookware,
clothing, or other stick-resistant, stain-resistant products.
Specifically, the participating companies have committed to reduce
by 95 percent facility emissions and product content levels of
PFOA, PFOA precursors, and higher homologue chemicals, by no later
than 2010. The year 2000 will serve as the baseline for measuring
reductions.
The companies have been asked to submit their year 2000 baseline
numbers for emissions and product content to EPA by Oct. 31, 2006.
Annual public reports on their progress toward the goals will
be due in October of each successive year. To ensure comparable
reporting of reductions, participating companies must commit to
work with EPA and others to develop and agree upon analytical
standards and laboratory methods for these chemicals. EPA is also
initiating efforts to add PFOA and related chemicals to the Toxics
Release Inventory (TRI) to help monitor the results of the stewardship
program.
Copies of the company letters of commitment and details on the
PFOA Stewardship Program, as well as additional information on
PFOA, are available at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/commitments.htm
<http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/commitments.htm>
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