Thousands to be screened for affects from Teflon

Jul 11 2005

After a federal scientific review panel said the chemical used to make teflon is "likely" to be carcinogenic to humans, tens of thousands of Ohio and West Virginia residents could be tested over the next year, to determine if their health has been affected by drinking water containing a chemical used to make the nonstick substance.

The screening will paid for by the DuPont the maker of the product following a class-action lawsuit. Teflon, one of the company's most popular products, can be found in everything from cookware and clothing to car parts and flooring.

The residents who receive their drinking water from six public water districts, or from private wells within the districts, where concentrations of ammonium perfluorooctanoate, also known as PFOA and C8, have been found, will be tested this month.

The water supplies which are near DuPont's Washington Works plant, are along the Ohio River near Parkersburg, an area where about 80,000 residents live.

It is hoped at least 60,000 will participate in the screening.

Dr. Paul Brooks, who will oversee the collection process, with retired hospital administrator Art Maher, says the more participants the more valid the data will be.

Both were appointed by the Wood County Circuit Court.

The residents will each receive $150 to answer a health questionnaire and if they agree to submit a blood sample, they will receive an additional $250.

Maher says residents will walk out of the collection centers with a check.

Apparently only residents who received the water for at least a year before December 3, 2004, are eligible.

Apparently each blood sample will be subjected to 51 tests, including those that check for the presence of C8, organ function and cancer markers.

The screenings will not test for HIV, drugs or sexually transmitted diseases.

The health screenings were agreed to by DuPont in order to settle a 2001 lawsuit filed by residents, who alleged the company intentionally withheld and misrepresented information concerning the nature and extent of the human health threat posed by C8 in drinking water.

The company has allocated about $70 million for resident payments and lab work.

Though C8's has been used since World War II, it's long-term effects on humans are unknown.

DuPont officials have disputed the draft report by the federal review panel.

The panel have now agreed to revise the draft to better reflect opposing viewpoints before submitting it to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by July 20.

Maher says the goal is to complete the collection process in one year and turn the information over to a court-appointed panel of three epidemiologists.

Based on the findings, DuPont could be forced to spend another $235 million to monitor the residents' health.

Brooks says if no link is found, that will the end of the matter; if they do, it will become another process with other scientists involved.

The settlement has also called for DuPont to provide the six water utilities with new treatment equipment to reduce the chemical in water supplies at an estimated cost of $10 million.

In a separate matter, DuPont has set aside $15 million to settle EPA complaints that the company failed to report information over two decades about the potential environmental and human health risks of the chemical, although no agreement has yet been been reached.

The company was served in May, with a subpoena from a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., for documents related to the chemical.