Calhoun, GA, December 21, 2005--Responding to a letter sent to some 4500 retailers yesterday by The United Steelworkers (USW) union, DuPont said the letter contains inaccurate and misleading information about carpet products made with DuPont fluorotelomer chemistry. The company said the USW alleges that these products may be harmful to consumers; This simply is not true, Dupont countered.
DuPont says that the controversy is merely part of the union's overall anti-Dupont strategy, noting that in May, 2005, the USW merged with the Paper Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy (PACE) union, and that only two years earlier the PACE union had announced and launched a “corporate campaign” against DuPont.
DuPont said the USW has pursued this campaign on many fronts in hopes of bargaining at the corporate level, rather than locally at the sites they represent. Further, said the company, the union has sent letters using legal scare tactics such as this one, as well as news releases.
DuPont said it believes the current letter is just another example of their announced corporate campaign against DuPont disguised as a safety issue.
These attacks, according to Gary W. Spitzer, Market & Business Director, DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise, have not been effective in undermining company brands or consumer confidence. “As a company with a long-standing and well-known commitment to product safety, and a global leader in the fluorotelomer chemistry used to make our surface protection materials, DuPont is eager to set the record straight.”
DuPont laid out the facts as follows:
"Carpets made with or using DuPont materials, including Stainmaster carpet, are safe. A peer reviewed scientific study, commissioned by DuPont, confirmed carpets made with the company's materials are safe to use. The study confirmed that there is no risk to consumers from potential exposure to trace levels of PFOA, and that the margins of safety for all products tested dramatically exceeded the levels of protection typically used by regulatory agencies to judge the safety of chemicals.
"DuPont commissioned this study with an independent research firm, and the study was peer reviewed by an independent expert scientific panel. The peer review was moderated by Dr. George Gray during his tenure as Executive Director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis. Dr. Gray is a recognized risk assessment expert. The results and conclusions of the study have been discussed and shared with the EPA.
"Commenting on PFOA, the EPA has stated, and continues to state, “EPA does not believe there is any reason for consumers to stop using any consumer or industrial related products.
"Dr. Jennifer Seed of the EPA’s Risk Assessment Division Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics examined supposed health risks of PFOA and in August 2005, publicly stated: “Studies have not shown any effects directly associated with PFOA exposure.” This is consistent with the results of our scientific research and 30 years of safe consumer use of carpet."
DuPont said it will, "continue to defend its products and brands, and get the scientific facts out to our customers. We strongly believe that fluorotelomers provide a valuable benefit to society. DuPont’s commitment to our customers is stronger than ever, and we continue to invest in innovative new products and technology for the future."
DuPont said that Teflon is a brand name, not a chemical and a registered trademark of DuPont.
They also noted that Teflon is not PFOA and the improper use of the Teflon brand as a synonym for PFOA is not only inaccurate and misleading to consumers but also constitutes a trademark violation.
