Report: More 3M chemicals found in wells

Report: More 3M chemicals found in wells

	Published : Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:05 By : Agencies Print this Story

ST. PAUL (AFX) - Low levels of industrial chemicals once manufactured by 3M Co. in Cottage Grove have been found in municipal wells southeast of St. Paul, but the state Health Department said there was no immediate health risk to residents.

The contamination by perfluorobutanoic acid, or PFBA, was found in municipal wells of Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, South St. Paul, Newport, Woodbury and Hastings, the department said.

'Finding this chemical at low levels does not pose an immediate health risk for residents,' said John Linc Stine, Health Department director of environmental health, in a news release.

He said the department needs to investigate further and will consider steps for reducing people's long term exposure. 'Our toxicologists are currently evaluating the limited scientific information available on PFBA,' he said.

PFBA is part of a class of chemicals called perfluorochemicals, or PFCs, which 3M made at its Cottage Grove plant from the 1940s until 2002. Other companies around the country also made the chemicals, but the department said PFBA was made by 3M in Cottage Grove.

Perfluorochemicals were used by 3M in the manufacturing of stain repellents, such as early versions of Scotchgard. They were also used in fire retardants, pesticides and other household and industrial products.

3M spokesman Jacqueline Berry said Friday the company was working with the state, including trying to pin down the source of the chemicals. 'We are sharing our expertise and our research,' she said.

Two other perfluorochemicals, PFOS and PFOA, were detected two years ago in water supplies in Oakdale and Lake Elmo. 3M recently paid for a new $2.5 million treatment facility to remove the chemicals from Oakdale's water supply.

3M disposed of industrial waste at three area landfills, which are the suspected sources of the contamination.

The Health Department reports that in laboratory animal studies, high concentrations of perfluorochemicals cause harmful changes in the liver and other organs. However, the department notes there have been few human studies.

According to the department's Web site, studies by 3M of its workers who were exposed to the chemicals during manufacturing showed no apparent damaged to their health.