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100 percent Participation and Commitment in EPA's PFOA Stewardship Program

Release Date: 03/02/2006
Contact Information: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]

(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 B. 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:
epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/commitments.htm