PANEL SAYS C-8 "LIKELY" CARCINOGEN

(01/31/2006)
While a medical firm doing testing on Mid-Ohio Valley residents has capped the maximum number of citizens that can apply at 70,000, an independent review panel says a controversial chemical used by DuPont in the manufacture of Teflon (C-8) should be considered a "likely" carcinogen.

The recommendation is included in a final draft report released by a panel yesterday, advising the Environmental Protection Agency of the possible risk.

The recommendation for C-8 goes beyond the EPA's own determination that there was only "suggestive evidence" from animal studies that C-8 and its salts are potential human carcinogens.

DuPont was sued by Wood County residents after the chemical seeped into the areas water supply, and the EPA has fined DuPont for allegedly covering-up information about the chemical.

DuPont is the only producer of C-8 in North America.

DuPont took issue with the panel's conclusions, saying the panel's recommendation is based on data from animal studies and doesn't reflect data from human studies.