Dupont Co. and EPA agree to slight drop in C8

The Environmental Protection Agency and DuPont Co. reached an agreement this week that tightened the limit of C8 in drinking water, but only slightly. "Under the deal with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, DuPont will provide new water supplies or water treatment equipment if C8 concentrations exceed 0.4 parts per billion" in the Parkersburg area of West Virginia, reports Ken Ward Jr. of The Charleston Gazette. "The previous deal, reached in late 2006, set that trigger at 0.5 parts per billion of C8."

"EPA expects the change will impact a limited number of residents," the agency said in a news release. "Based on current data, approximately 14 private residences may need a treatment system or connection to a public water system."

"People can be exposed by drinking contaminated products, eating tainted food, or through food packaging and stain-proof agents on furniture or carpet," writes Ward. "Evidence is mounting about the chemical's dangerous effects, but regulators have yet to set a binding federal limit for emissions or human exposure."

While the announcement is good news for people who have endured a short period of exposure to C8, the EPA admits that the new level does not protect people who have endured longer exposures. The new guideline is designed to protect people from exposures lasting one to 10 days. (Read more)

As reported here an internal memo from the EPA showed than many in the agency have wanted to lower the limit to at least .2 parts per million.