NGOs Urge Restriction of PFOA, Its Salts, and Related Substances

IPEN has joined numerous other environmental and health organizations in sending a letter to European government representatives relating to a draft regulation that it will soon present to the REACH Committee about the restriction of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related substances.

PFOA is classified as toxic for reproduction (category 1B), affects cholesterol levels and may cause cancer in humans. A recent published study from the C8 Health Project survey showed a dose-related increase in both kidney and testicular cancer with PFOA among 32,254 participants. It is so persistent, that there are no measurable environmental half-lives.

PFOA is widely found in remote areas, including the Arctic, demonstrating long-range environmental transport. A recent review of the toxicity of perfluorinated compounds found adverse effects after developmental exposure, including inmunotoxicity and endocrine disruption, at very low doses—1,000 times lower than the EU Tolerable Daily Intakes for PFOA. In humans, PFOA is also associated with inflammatory diseases, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and impaired neuro- as well as reproductive development.

IPEN and the other signatories to the letter strongly support the restriction of these toxic, persistent and bioacumulative chemicals.

Read the full letter here.