DuPont agrees to EPA request to try to cut chemical in Teflon

DOVER, Del. – The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday asked DuPont and seven other chemical companies to work to eliminate use of a chemical that is a key ingredient in the production of Teflon but may pose potential health risks to humans.

While accepting the EPA’s challenge, DuPont Co. acknowledged that it has no immediate replacement for the chemical, a key compound in products that accounted for about $1 billion in sales for the Wilmington-based company in 2004.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson sent letters to DuPont and the other companies Wednesday asking them to commit to the voluntary program by March 1.

The initiative calls for a 95 percent reduction in environmental emissions and product content levels of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and associated chemicals by 2010. The companies also are being asked to work toward the elimination of PFOA and associated chemicals from emissions and products by 2015. DuPont, one of the largest users of PFOA, has agreed to participate in the program. Other companies asked to participate are 3M/Dyneon Arkema Inc., AGC Chemicals/Asahi Glass, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant Corp., Daikin and Solvay Solexis.