Document dQ9brVzYqqmLvr8B6K3KbpGaq

TO: C. DE MARTINO FROM: BRUCE W. KARRH, CC: H. G. Smyth J. V. Piet B. P. Quaintance B. W. Culpepper, M.D. R. K. Whiting, M.D. ^ 2 Z C ,-/ 5 C > Z March 27, 1981 AMMONIUM PERFLUOROOCTANOATE (FC-143) C-8 COMPOUNDS This summarizes the current status of this issue. PPD Plans to start communications with affected employees at Parkersburg and those on the Kal-Rez process at Circleville and Chambers Works Tuesday, 3/31, at 12:01 a.m. Dordrecht employees will also be covered. About 50 employees at Parkersburg and 1 at Circleville will be removed from potential exposure to C-8 at that time and those who are pregnant or capable of childbearing will be reassigned. Those with proof of inability to bear children will be allowed to return to the C-8 exposed jobs. Blood levels of C-8 on Parkersburg employees range from 0.6 to 22 ppm, with an average of about 5 ppm. A communications package has been prepared and is being circulated for comments. "Background levels," determined on Wilmington office employees with no prior exposure to organic fluoride compounds is 0.0 to 0.38 ppm with an average of 0.09 ppm. Textile Fibers Spruance TF uses C-8 emulsion to spin Teflon fiber and also as a coating on the fiber. Free C-8 is removed from the fiber during sintering', but there is residual C-8 on the coated fiber. There are 31 female employees in the area. Blood levels of C-8, on 6 tests, ranged 0.0 - 0.31 ppm with an average of 0.13 ppm. Since this is consistent with "background" levels, Fibers does not plan to remove female employees from jobs in the area, but will inform all affected employees on the same timetable as PPD and will initiate additional testing to better categorize the blood levels of persons on various jobs. A communications package has been prepared and is being circulated for comments. EID096494 BWK000139 000045 2 F&F Six F&F locations use 0 8 emulsions in preparing pan coatings, knife and saw coatings, fabric coatings, and other similar applications. These locations are Parlin, Toledo, Philadelphia, Marshall Laboratory, Fairfield, Ajax (Du Pont Canada), and Mechelen. Blood tests on 20 subjects gave a range of 0.0 to 0.44 ppm, with an average of 0.17 ppm. Since these tests, except the one of 0.44 ppm, are below the defined "background" level, it is not necessary to remove female employees from the work areas. Only 3 female employees are currently in jobs of potential exposure -- 1 supervisor and 2 in R&D laboratories. Additional blood tests will be obtained to fully categorize the potential exposures for each job. C&P Chambers Works uses some of the organic fluoride compounds, but not C-8. There are no plans to remove females from these jobs, but PPD has a Kal-Rez operation which uses C-8, but no female employees are involved. Haskell Laboratory representatives evaluated 3-M's study March 27. Haskell is also developing a proposal for additional testing to better understand the significance of 3-M's findings. 3-M plans to conduct a reproductive epidemiologic study, to include fertility and pregnancy outcome for exposed male and female employees. At present, we do not plan an epidemiologic study, but will reevaluate our position periodically. Roger Morris of Public Affairs is coordinating the PA position. BWKsceb BWK000140 00004b EID096495