The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has begun sampling the Conasauga River for a likely carcinogenic chemical. The chemical is called PFOA, and among other applications, it’s a waste product of the carpet industry.
The U.S. EPA has deemed it a likely carcinogen, and now officials at the state level are testing for it in the Northwest Georgia area. Researchers have collected spotted bass and blue catfish, and within a few weeks scientists will also be sampling ground water and soil around the Dalton area.
Exactly how PFOA impacts human health, if at all, is the subject of much debate. Several studies have linked the chemical to stroke, prostate and colon cancer, but there is not yet scientific consensus.
The Carpet Industry is holding a meeting next month, where they will discuss how to phase the chemical out.
The state sampling has been described as a first step. Researchers will also be evaluating the concentrations of other chemicals related to PFOA, also called c8. One such chemical is c5. That compound is expected to replace PFOA in the production of stain resistant carpet.
For much more coverage of the PFOA contamination, click here.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
PFOA Testing Starts in NW Georgia
