DuPont has pledged its commitment to the 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Programme announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said, DuPont and other proactive companies have been working with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to better understand the sources and pathways of exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and related chemicals. Considerable progress has been made by putting in place a comprehensive testing and research programme that will fill in many of the critical information gaps that exist around our understanding of potential exposure and risks. The data from the research and testing programs will allow the Agency and others to make informed decisions about any related risk management actions that are warranted.”

Key elements of the DuPont commitment to EPA include reducing global emissions from manufacturing facilities by 98% by 2007; establishing emission caps for US facilities to limit the absolute number of pounds emitted; implementing product caps for PFOA in fluoropolymer dispersions; and reducing PFOA content and any residual impurities in fluorotelomer products that could break down to PFOA.

Fluorotelomer derivatives are a family of compounds used as ingredients in making foams and coatings. They also are intermediates, or building blocks, used to manufacture stain-, oil- and water-resistant additives for some textiles, paper, coatings and other surfaces.