DUPONT UNDER ATTACK FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS

(12/07/2004)
Following a multi-million dollar settlement over the potential harmful effects of a chemical used by DuPont's Washington Works, the federal government is seeking to impose fines against the company.

The fines are related to DuPont withholding more recent lab results over the effects of C-8, a product used in the manufacture of Teflon.

Environmental Protection Agency officials accuse DuPont of not sharing its findings from blood samples in a timely matter.

The samples were sent off to be analyzed by an independent lab.

The EPA says their blood samples show concentrations of C-8 averaging more than 13 times the national average.

The EPA is also charging the company with what appears to be a cover-up related to problems for pregnant women that once worked for the company and their babies, some of which allegedly had birth defects.

DuPont maintains C-8 is not harmful.