March 8, 2006—Eight companies have voluntarily agreed to participate in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Global Stewardship Program in order to reduce perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) releases and product content levels.
Arkema, Asahi, Ciba, Clariant, Daikin, DuPont, 3M/Dyneon, and Solvay Solexis have agreed 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 US as well as in their global operations.
According to EPA, 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 persistent in the environment and has been detected in low levels in wildlife and humans, raising concerns.
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 or businesses need to stop using stick-resistant, stain-resistant products.
