| Daikin Industries, Ltd (Head Office: Osaka, Japan) announced today that Daikin and its subsidiaries intend to stop manufacturing, using and selling Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and C8 telomer-based water and oil repellent products by the end of 2012. PFOA is used during the manufacturing process of some plastics, and a trace amount of it may remain after manufacturing. PFOA is not used in the manufacture of “C8” protective products, but it does occur as a byproduct of the manufacturing process. PFOA is not regulated, but concerns about the material have been expressed. Daikin will voluntarily replace all existing products with alternative non-PFOA products.
In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became concerned about data that indicated that PFOA is found in human blood in the general population. Since then, the EPA and industry have conducted studies, and collected and shared information regarding PFOA. In addition, Daikin has participated in the EPA’s “2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program” and has previously announced specific actions to reduce PFOA, precursors of PFOA, and some related chemicals by 95% by 2010 and to work toward eliminating them by 2015. With this announcement Daikin has indicated that it intends to meet the goals of the Stewardship Program three years early.
Daikin America, Inc., headquartered in Orangeburg, New York, is one of the largest fluoropolymer suppliers in the world. Daikin provides molding resins, fine powders, aqueous dispersions, melt processable fluoropolymers, and fluoroelastomers for many critical applications.
Daikin America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd of Osaka, Japan. Daikin is Japan’s leading manufacturer of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, and fluorochemical products.
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