How are people exposed to PFOA?
The Agency does not have a full understanding of how people are exposed to PFOA, which is used as an essential processing aid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers, and may also be a breakdown product of other related chemicals, called fluorinated telomers. In April 2003, EPA released a preliminary risk assessment for PFOA, and started a public process to identify and generate additional information to better understand the sources of PFOA and the pathways of human exposure. Although the public process designed to produce additional information has been completed, new information continues to be generated as a result of the process and from other activities. This new information will assist the Agency in determining if there are potential risks and what risk management steps may be appropriate.
