SPI Statement on EPA Draft PFOA Risk Assessment

(Washington, D.C., January 12, 2005) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft risk assessment released today provides added assurance to the public regarding the safety of PFOA, an important chemical essential to the manufacture of materials that are used to make products that span the entire U.S. economy.

EPA's draft risk assessment used a margin of exposure (MOE) approach, sometimes referred to as a margin of safety. Under this methodology, higher MOE values represent lower levels of risk. The values in EPA's report - ranging from 398 to greater than 10,000 - represent substantial protection of the general population.

The draft risk assessment is consistent with EPA's previously stated position that the Agency "does not believe there is any reason for consumers to stop using any consumer or industrial-related products" made with PFOA.

Member companies of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) have conducted extensive research on the safety of PFOA. Much of this research is cited in the EPA draft risk assessment.

The draft risk assessment will now be submitted to EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB). SPI member companies will provide input to the SAB process. EPA will then finalize the risk assessment based on public and SAB comments.

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