Study links C8, changes in puberty age

Mid-Ohio Valley teenagers who were exposed to DuPont Co.'s C8 pollution experienced a four- to six-month delay in puberty, according to a new study that adds to the growing concerns about potential health effects of chemicals that have been widely used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Members of the C8 Science Panel based their latest report on data comparing blood levels of C8 and a related chemical called PFOS in 6,000 boys and girls with information about their hormone levels and when girls began menstrual cycles. The three-scientist team found boys with the higher levels of PFOS and girls with a higher level of both chemicals hit puberty later. During a news conference in Parkersburg, Science Panel member Tony Fletcher described the findings as "a clear statistical association," but cautioned it was not yet proof that the chemicals caused the puberty delays. Fletcher offered the Science Panel's first real public criticism of DuPont, saying he disagreed with the company's repeated statement that scientific studies show C8 "does not harm human health and the environment."