FAQs

What is PFOA?

PFOA stands for perfluorooctanoic acid, a synthetic (man-made) chemical that does not occur naturally in the environment. PFOA is sometimes called "C8." Companies use PFOA to make fluoropolymers, substances with special properties that have thousands of important manufacturing and industrial applications. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Where is PFOA found?

Fluoropolymers impart valuable properties, including fire resistance and oil, stain, grease, and water repellency. They are used to provide non-stick surfaces on cookware and waterproof, breathable membranes for clothing. They are employed in hundreds of other uses in almost all industry segments, including the aerospace, automotive, building/construction, chemical processing, electrical and electronics, semiconductor, and textile industries. Telomers are used as surfactants and as surface treatment chemicals in many products, including fire fighting foams; personal care and cleaning products; and oil, stain, grease, and water repellent coatings on carpet, textiles, leather, and paper. Food papers treated with PFOA include microwave-popcorn bags, bags for muffins or french fries, pizza liners, boxes for burgers and small pizzas, and sandwich wrappers.

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What do we know about the toxicity of perfluorinated chemicals?

"PFOA is broadly toxic. It does not break down in the environment, and is considered to be persistent over geologic time scales. It has been universally detected in human blood and has a half-life in the body of more than four years," (Source: Environmental Working Group).

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) studies indicate that the perfluorinated chemicals that make food wrappers greaseproof can migrate into some foods at levels up to several hundred times higher than current FDA-approved guidelines indicate.

Animal studies also indicate that perfluorinated chemicals affect the liver, neonatal development, the immune system, and hormone levels (Source: Toxicological Sciences 2007). Studies with pregnant mice fed PFOA resulted in litters of pups with developmental delays and lower birth weight (Source: Toxicological Sciences 2006).

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Where is PFOA manufactured?

Companies participating in the EPA’s 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program include 3M/Dyneon, Arkema, Inc., AGC Chemicals/Asahi Glass, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant Corporation, Daikin , DuPont , and Solvay Solexis. In January 2006, these companies all voluntarily pledged to reduce facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals on a global basis by 95 percent no later than 2010, and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content of these chemicals by 2015.

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What is the EPA's involvement in the issues surrounding PFOA?

EPA began investigating PFOA because it was being found at very low levels both in the environment and in the blood of the general U.S. population, and it caused developmental and other adverse effects in laboratory animals. The U.S. EPA’s Science Advisory Board classified PFOA as a "likely human carcinogen" in 2006 and announced a long-term, voluntary program with eight major companies to reduce PFOA emissions and to eliminate PFOA use in products by the year 2015.(Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

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Is there any current government legislation dealing with PFOA and other similar chemicals?

Yes. In 2008, California Senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), wrote Senate Bill 1313, which proposes a ban on dangerous toxins in food packaging that cause cancer, developmental, neural, and reproductive problems. The bill is supported by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups and requires the removal of perflourinated chemicals in food packaging by 2010. The bill also asks manufacturers to use safe alternatives that are not known-or-likely carcinogens that could cause developmental, neural, or reproductive problems.

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