The Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges against DuPont over its handling of C8 at Washington Works.
In an email sent to employees yesterday, CEO Chad Holliday said he received word on Friday that the DOJ has completed its 2 1/2 year investigation into the research and use of C8 near Parkersburg, West Virginia.
At issue was whether or not DuPont acted criminally in covering up medical monitoring results which indicated that the manufacturing substance can cross the placenta, thereby contaminating the blood of an unborn baby. The company also shielded evidence of possible birth defects in two of seven babies born to mothers who worked in the Teflon division. Late in 2005, DuPont agreed to a settlement with the EPA worth more than $16 million in fines and environmental projects over the hidden evidence.
Holliday said DuPont will continue to focus on meeting commitments to the EPA’s Voluntary Stewardship Program, which calls for the global phaseout of C8 by 2015.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
DuPont Worker Mortality Study on C8
DuPont released a mortality study this week designed to determine whether C8 exposure could be tied to risks for workers.
The study looked at 6,000 Washington Works employees and their mortality rates and causes and compared them with the same data for the population of West Virginia, the population of the United States, and an 8-state regional DuPont employee population.
Results indicated an elevation in mortality risk for kidney cancer and heart disease in Washington Works employees, which the industry report calls “statistically nonsignificant”. It also found a “statistically significant increase for diabetes”.
The report concludes by saying the relatively small numbers for many cause-specific outcomes may not be adequate to thoroughly examine death rates.
The mortality study is one part of a body of evidence to be considered by the C8 Science Panel in making their determination about the whether C8 can be linked to human disease.
(Send me an email if you'd like a copy of the study as I don't currently have the ability to PDF it here.)
The study looked at 6,000 Washington Works employees and their mortality rates and causes and compared them with the same data for the population of West Virginia, the population of the United States, and an 8-state regional DuPont employee population.
Results indicated an elevation in mortality risk for kidney cancer and heart disease in Washington Works employees, which the industry report calls “statistically nonsignificant”. It also found a “statistically significant increase for diabetes”.
The report concludes by saying the relatively small numbers for many cause-specific outcomes may not be adequate to thoroughly examine death rates.
The mortality study is one part of a body of evidence to be considered by the C8 Science Panel in making their determination about the whether C8 can be linked to human disease.
(Send me an email if you'd like a copy of the study as I don't currently have the ability to PDF it here.)
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