Chemical giant DuPont
is rushing to quell unease among Chinese consumers following
reports that the US Environmental Protection Agency is taking
administrative actions against the chemical giant.
In a rare press conference held on Tuesday in Beijing, Charles
Browne, president of DuPont China Holding Company, said its Teflon
coated non-stick cookware is not hazardous to human health and that
the US agency's allegation had been misinterpreted by some Chinese
media.
"The evidence from over 50 years of experience and extensive
scientific studies supports our conclusion that PFOA
(perfluorooctanoic acid, or C-8) does not harm human health or the
environment," Browne said.
PFOA is a chemical used to manufacture fluoropolymers, which are
used to make non-stick cookware in China and around the world. PFOA
is also used in a wide variety of other consumer and industrial
applications, such as coatings for automobiles and aircraft.
Allegations of health risks in the US have stemmed from
individuals and communities around production sites. Finished
products are not expected to contain PFOA.
The EPA announced on July 8 that it would take administrative
action against DuPont for failure to report information that PFOA
may pose substantial risks to human health or the environment. The
EPA found DuPont had failed to provide the results of its own tests
and toxicological data on the chemical after a 1997 request from
the agency.
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DuPont intends to file a formal denial to the EPA complaint.
DuPont tests showed that PFOA was transmitted to the fetuses of
eight pregnant women who worked in or near a company plant. Two of
the infants had birth defects.
Traces of PFOA have been found in the public drinking water in
communities near DuPont facilities. Individual and class action
lawsuits have been filed against the company alleging personal and
property damage resulting from the contamination.
An unnamed official at the State Administration of Environmental
Protection's (SEPA) publicity and education office told
China.org.cn that his administration is conducting a thorough
investigation of the effects of PFOA on the environment. SEPA plans
to issue a formal statement on the issue in the near future.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection
and Quarantine (QSIQ) said it is testing the safety of Teflon
coating and expects results to be released in September. Browne
said that DuPont is providing the agency all the tools necessary to
verify that Teflon pans are safe.
DuPont representatives did not indicate at the press conference
whether the company had also provided materials to SEPA.
Studies on workers in plants using PFOA and residents in
surrounding areas have shown that PFOA builds up in human blood,
does not break down in the environment and may cause such health
problems as liver damage, reproductive and developmental defects
and cancer.
DuPont has about 20 wholly owned or joint venture operations in
China, including at least one that makes automobile coatings.
(China.org.cn and China Daily July 21, 2004)