DuPont Agrees to Phase Out PFOA

The DuPont company has said it will comply with an EPA request to stop production of the chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), also known as C8, by 2015. The chemical is used to make Teflon, the widely used nonstick coating, and is considered a likely carcinogen by the EPA. In a statement, the Wilmington, DE-based chemical company said it agreed to comply even though no trace of PFOA exists in Teflon-coated pots and pans, and that there is no evidence that the chemical is harmful. The EPA commended DuPont for its voluntary action, and said it hoped other chemicals would follow. The EPA has formally requested a total of eight chemical companies to commit by March 1 to ceasing PFOA production.