Metal plating industry under fire for dumping PFCs in sewers

1. A) What is the source of the story/information? That is, where you read about it: media source + date published + headline title
Chicago Tribune Published: Monday, Feb. 1, 2010
“Metal plating industry under fire for dumping PFCs in sewers”
b)By Michael Hawthorne, a Journalist from the Chicago Tribune
2. What appears to be the issue(s)?
PFC contamination has been found in various areas. PFCs wash unfiltered through sewage treatment plants into lakes and streams. The chemicals don't break down in the environment, and traces are showing up in the blood of people and wildlife around the globe. They are so resilient that it takes years for the chemicals to be excreted from the human body.

3.What appears to be the cause(s) of the conflict?
Metal platers have been granted by President Bush to be allowed to continue using PFCs without regulations and the EPA wants them to have to follow regulations now.

4.
a. Who all is involved in the conflict (stakeholders/parties)? Why are they involved?
• EPA
They want to see where the PFCs are accumulating and then want alternatives (ex switching to a PFC-free solution that also prevents chromium from bubbling out of its plating vats) to be adopted immediately where the PFCs are accumulating.
They say the solutions are already here because at least one of the nation's largest metal platers already has switched to a solution that is significantly less toxic.
Career staff at the EPA are urging the Obama administration to crack down on the use of PFCs by the metal plating industry, which coats chrome automotive bumpers, wheels and other parts.
• metal plating industry
Industry representatives contend they need time to test PFC-free chemicals, though. They don’t want to have new regulation passed until they feel they have had a chance to make sure that the new alternatives won’t cause other problems.
b.What does each “side” want? (how each side wants the conflict resolved--their position).
• EPA
Want the Obama administration to crack down on the use of PFCs by the metal plating industry or give them permission to do it.
• metal plating industry
Want things to be done in a cost-effective manner instead of timed manner. They say they don’t want to introduce something new and then be liable for cleaning it up if it turns out to be too toxic.

c.What are each “side’s” underlying concerns or needs (their interests)--if it is not stated, then give your best guess.
• EPA
Protect the public health by making sure that PFCs and hexavalent chromium are taken out of the metal plating industry and substituted with other less toxic developed alternatives.
• metal plating industry
They want to stay unregulated so that they can have freedom of choice in the materials that are used to make the products of their company. They want to make the most profit possible in the way that they consider to be the safest. Unless they have already stopped using the chemicals, they don’t want to be forced to stop using the chemicals unless it is going to make the business more profitable.

6. Why did you pick this conflict to write about? (Why does this particular conflict interest you?).
I am interested in how much power the EPA really has and how they use their power.