Dalton Carpet Industry: Bye, Bye PFOA

The Carpet and Rug Institute told GPB Wednesday that the chemical PFOA has "a cloud of suspicion" hanging over it's head.

The lobbying group also announced the carpet industry in Dalton no longer uses the chemistry that produces the chemical.

This announcement is a reversal of CRI's position, as stated to GPB last year.

PFOA is a likely carcinogen, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. It is found in high amounts in NW Georgia's Conasauga River.

The river is a source of drinking water for the towns of Calhoun and Rome.

The chemical is emitted into the river by Dalton's carpet industry.

In a yet to be aired interview with WSB TV in Atlanta, CRI said the industry stopped using C-8 chemistry in January. They say PFOA is produced by this chemistry.

In essence what they are saying, is that PFOA is no longer being emitted.

Werner Braun is the head of the CRI.

"The message that this industry is that we have done the responsibly right thing to get out of these chemistry's because there is a cloud of suspicion hanging over C-8chemistry's."

One of Braun's assistants said the CRI did not publicize the decision because, "at the levels it [PFOA] was at, it's not a big deal." Yet, James Beach also went on to say "I wouldn't want this stuff [bio-accumulating] in my body."