Document YGxqn8qLoZ2yQrNDVvwp7b69V

AH.Z7.6- tO lg UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 Dear Interested Party: MAR 28 2002 OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDES AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES Attached is a copy in PDF file format (389KB) of the Draft Hazard Assessment O f Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) And Its Salts, prepared by the Risk Assessment Division of the EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. The Annex to the assessment, which contains robust summaries of the studies reviewed in the assessment, is not attached because of its very large size (785KB), but is available upon request as a separate file. Both files have been placed in the PFOA section of the publicly accessible Administrative Record file AR226: PFOS, PFOA, Telomers, and Related Chemicals. This preliminary assessment reviews the studies that were available as of July 2001, but does not incorporate any information received by the Agency after that date. The cut-off date was adopted to allow the release of this preliminary assessment while additional studies were still underway. The assessment specifically recognizes that additional data, particularly including the final report on a two-generation reproductive study in rats, are still under development. As the Agency receives further study information, it will be included in AR226 and in the Agency's review process. < Z -V i c Based on the existing data, PFOA may present some concerns similar to those raised by ::r perfluorooctyl sulfonates (PFOS). Like PFOS, it is persistent in the environment and does not re appear to degrade. PFOA also appears to have a half-life in humans of between 1 and 3.5 years, CJ indicating that it may bioaccumulate in humans in the same manner as PFOS does, remaining in enterohepatic circulation. PFOA has been found in human blood samples, although at levels lower than PFOS. PFOA is carcinogenic in animals. Reproductive study data on PFOA comparable to the studies that raised the initial concerns on PFOS are not yet available, although the final report on the two-generation reproductive study in rats should be completed in the first half of 2002 and will be included in AR226 as soon as it is submitted to the Agency. The Agency will continue to review data on PFOA as they are received. If you have any questions concerning the Assessment, please contact Jennifer Seed by phone at 202-564-7634, or by email at seed,iennifer@epa. gov. If you wish to receive a copy of the Annex, or if you have any difficulties opening the files, please contact Mary Dominiak by phone at 202-564-8104, by fax at 202-564-4775, or by email at dominiak.marv@epa.gov. Sincerely, C O N T A I N NO GB1 Charles M. Auer, Director Chemical Control Division I Internet Address (URL) http:Mvww.epa.gov Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Postconsumer content) See AR226-1079 to review the attachment