[pct-l] Speaking of Being waterproof...here we go again :-))

[word-witch@mindspring.com (GINA LEACH)]

Gotta give 3M Credit for pulling a major money maker off the shelf, thus
thinking beyond the bottom line. Still, its scary news. One more way humans
have messed up the planet.

Gina

----- Original Message -----
From: "R.J.Calliger" <calliger@infolane.com>
To: "Jeff Jones" <jjonz@gte.net>; "pct-l-digest" <pct-l@edina.hack.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 7:24 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Speaking of Being waterproof...here we go again :-))


>
> For years I've used and recommended Scotchgard as a DWR for nylon and
> Gore-Tex.
> Now I am discontinuing such endorsement, and the Tectron products that REI
> and
> other outdoor retailers sell may have the same problem as Scotchgard.
Read
> on...
>
> Last May, 3M Corp quietly discontinued manufacturing of Scotchgard.  3M
will
>
> phase out all fluorochemical manufacturing by 2002.  The reason is
becoming
> clearer.  The March 2001 issue of Scientific American revealed that
> perfluoro-octanyl sulfonate (PFOS), which is a breakdown product of 3M
> fluorochemicals has been found in the blood of humans and animals on a
> global
> scale including those in pristine wilderness areas of the planet.  PFOS is
> very
> different from organochlorine compunds like PCB and DDT.  It does not
> breakdown
> with time.  It does not biodegrade.  It's persistence in the environment
is
> extreme.  An independent toxicologist found levels of PFOS at six parts
per
> billion in wild mink and eagles, which is just one-order of magnitude
below
> the
> level that is known to show toxic effects in laboratory species (rats and
> monkeys).  Polar bears and seals are about one and a half orders of
> magnitude
> below the danger point.  The toxicologist asserts that "the numbers are
> close
> enough to convince me that wildlife is being killed by this compound now."
> No
> one knows how this stuff spreads, only that it has spread widely on the
> planet,
> and is at alarmingly high levels in people and animals.
>
> See http://www.sciam.com/2001/0301issue/0301scicit2.html
>
>
>
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