DuPont agreed to sharply reduce its output of PFOA,[79] and was one of eight companies to sign on with the USEPA's 2010/2015 PFOA Stewardship Program. The agreement called for the reduction of "facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals on a global basis by 95 percent by 2010 and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content of these chemicals by 2015."[80] DuPont phased out PFOA entirely in 2013.
Unlike other persistent organic pollutants, Perfluorooctanoic acid persists indefinitely and is completely resistant to bio-degradation, remaining toxic. The only way to reduce levels in the body is by physical elimination rather than degradation.[81] In 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer designated PFOA as "possibly carcinogenic" in humans.[82] One Ohio resident was awarded $1.6 million when a jury in 2015 found that her kidney cancer was caused by PFOA in drinking water. In December 2016 $2 million was awarded when a jury found it caused the plaintiff’s testicular cancer and awarded punitive damages in the amount of $10.5 million.[83] This was the third case where a jury found DuPont liable for injuries resulting from exposure to PFOA in drinking water sources. There were 3,500 similar cases awaiting trial c. 2015. According to the co-lead counselor, internal documents revealed during trial showed DuPont had known of a link between PFOA and cancers since 1997. DuPont maintains it has always handled PFOA "reasonably and responsibly" based on the information they, and industry regulators, had available during its use. However, the jury concluded that DuPont did not act to prevent harm or inform the public, despite the information available.[84]
Imprelis
In October 2010 DuPont began marketing a herbicide called Imprelis, for control of certain plants in turf areas. DuPont voluntarily pulled Imprelis from the market in August 2011 before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a mandatory stop-sale order on Imprelis after being alerted of numerous reports from golf courses to nurseries that the product was suspected of injuring and, in some cases, killing trees. Norway spruce, white pines and honey locust proved to be among the species of trees that were susceptible.[85][86]Price fixing
In 2005, the company plead guilty to fixing prices of chemicals and products using neoprene, a synthetic rubber, resulting in an $84 million fine.[87]NASCAR sponsorship
Jeff Gordon's car with the DuPont Cromax Pro sponsorship
Our sponsorship of Jeff Gordon helps keep DuPont brands and products in the public eye. Branding is a key component of the DuPont knowledge intensity strategy for achieving sustainable growth.[88]The partnership lasted 18 seasons before DuPont was replaced by AARP Drive to End Hunger as the No. 24 team's primary sponsor. DuPont continued as associate sponsor with a 12-race deal,[89] and the deal was extended to 14 races after DuPont sold its performance coatings business, now known as "Axalta Coating Systems", to The Carlyle Group[28] in a deal worth $4.9 billion.[90]
In addition to Gordon, DuPont sponsored Scott Lagasse in the SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman during the 1995 season (including a one-off ride for Terry Labonte in the Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic, the inaugural Truck race).[91] In the Busch Series, the company sponsored Ricky Craven's RC Racing team in the early 1990s.[92]
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