IPEN Statement on PFOA Underscores Industry Duplicity

IPEN, currently in Rome for the 12th meeting of the Stockholm Convention's POPs Review Committee (POPRC), today made an intervention on PFOA in plenary. The intervention, delivered by IPEN Senior Advisor Dr. Mariann Lloyd-Smith, described how PFOA's toxicity has for years made it an appalling threat to the health of communities all over the world, and reminded participants of the Committee meeting that the industry has known since at least 1961 that PFOA is toxic. PFOA contamination is linked to ulcerative colitis, high cholesterol, pregnancy-induced hypertension, thyroid disease, testicular cancer and kidney cancer.

The intervention was met with widespread appreciation, thanks and acknowledgement from the UNEP and government representatives present at the meeting.

As stated in its Quick Guide to IPEN Views on POPRC 12, IPEN believes that PFOA meets Annex E screening criteria and should move forward to Annex F evaluation.