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C8 or C-8: PFOA is perfluorooctanoic acid and is sometimes called C8. It is a man-made chemical and does not occur naturally in the environment. The "PFOA" acronym is used to indicate not only perfluorooctanoic acid itself, but also its principal salts.
The PFOA derivative of greatest concern and most wide spread use is the ammonium salt (Ammonium perfluorooctanoate) commonly known as C8, C-8, or APFO and the chemical of concern in the Class Action suit in Ohio.

Ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO or C8)
CAS No. 3825-26-1. Molecular formula:

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA or C8)
CAS No: 335-67-1. Molecular formula:

The DuPont site where APFO is used as a reaction aid is the Washington Works (Route 892, Washington, West Virginia 26181) located along the Ohio River approximately seven miles southwest of Parkersburg, West Virginia.

The Little Hocking Water Association well field is located in Ohio on the north side of the Ohio River immediately across from the Washington Works facility. Consumers of this drinking water have brought a Class Action suit against the Association and DuPont for the contamination of their drinking water with DuPont's APFO, which residents and media refer to as C8.

PFOA is used as a processing aid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers to produce hundreds of items such as non-stick surfaces on cookware (TEFLON), protective finishes on carpets (SCOTCHGUARD, STAINMASTER), clothing (GORE-TEX), and the weather-resistant barrier sheeting used on homes under the exterior siding (TYVEK).

 

Online as of February 2004 at: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/story/0115202004_new10_dupont.asp

NewsandSentinel.com
The online edition of the Parkersburg News and the Parkersburg Sentinel
(Parkersburg, West Virginia)

January 15, 2004

DuPont public hearing is now set for Jan. 29

By PAMELA BRUST

PARKERSBURG - The Division of Water & Waste Management of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will conduct a public hearing from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the auditorium at Blennerhassett Junior High School on DuPont Washington Work's application to renew its permit for an industrial solid waste facility at Dry Run.

According to documents filed with the DEP, more than 300 individuals, in addition to James and Della Tennant, who own property adjacent to the DuPont facility at Dry Run Landfill have filed objections to the permit renewal. The Tennants settled a lawsuit against the company in the summer of 2001.

In the early 1980s, DuPont sought to purchase several hundred acres to construct the landfill near the base of Dry Run Creek. According to documents filed in the case, the Tennant family was assured no hazardous materials would be disposed of in the landfill and the family continued to allow cattle to graze along Dry Run Creek.

According to the documents filed with the DEP, by the 1990s, the Tennants noticed "heavy foam, suds, and discoloration in the creek" from which their cattle was drinking. After numerous cattle died, the family contacted the DEP and USEPA of their concerns. DuPont canceled their leases in the area. The Tennants filed suit in 1999. The suit was settled in 2001, settlement documents were sealed.

According to documents filed with the DEP in the case, the Tenants and other residents are contending DuPont has used the landfill for disposal of a variety of "harmful and toxic chemicals, including asbestos and C8."

The 300-plus petitioners are asking the DEP to deny renewal of the permit. Petitioners are asking if the permit is renewed, it should be revised to incorporate a number of additional requirements that would include removal of certain materials including "C8, Triton, asbestos and Telomer materials."

Dawn Jackson, spokesman for the DuPont Washington Works Plant said earlier the company goes through this renewal process on the Solid Waste/National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit every five years. If there is sufficient opposition, the DEP schedules a public hearing.

Under the permit application, the plant operates a disposal system (industrial solid waste facility) in the drainage basin of Dry Run for disposal of "flyash, bottom ash, polyamides, acrylics, polyacetal, polyvinyl butryal, polyethylene terephthalate, fluoropolymers, paraffin wax plus fluoropolymers, paper, cardboard, glass, construction/demolition waste, cafeteria waste, and scrap piping and metal, all of which are generated at DuPont's Washington facility."

The plant operates and maintains a disposal system for the "direct discharge of treated storm water runoff and treated industrial wastes into the drainage basin of and into the waters of Dry Run."

Those wishing to make oral comment or submit written statements on the permit renewal may do so at the Jan. 29 public hearing. The hearing record will remain open until Feb. 9 to receive additional comments. All comments received on or before Feb. 9 will be considered before a final decision is rendered regarding the application, according to DEP officials.