Teflons Toxic Legacy

Non-stick cookware has gained the reputation of being a possible source of chemical toxins amongst the general populous in recent years. What most people don’t know is that DuPont, the creators of the original non-stick material called Teflon, have known about its possible dangers for over fifty years.

Studies by some of DuPont’s own scientists conducted in the 1950’s showed Teflon to be a source of dangerous chemical particulate and gasses. [1] Multiple peer-reviewed studies over the years have delved into the health problems associated with Teflon.[2] Here is a list of the main gasses/particulates that can be released while using a non-stick Teflon type of product in your daily cooking:

• Four chemicals that are considered highly toxic relative to most other industrial chemicals (PFIB, MFA, COF₂, HF).
• Two chemicals linked to cancer or tumors in laboratory studies (PFOA and TFE)
• Two chemical warfare agents (PFIB and MFA) and a chemical analog of WWII nerve gas phosgene (COF₂)
• Four gaseous chemicals and some components of the particulate matter that are highly persistent environmental pollutants, that likely never break down in the environment (TFA, PFOA, CF₄, PFB, and the perfluorinated particulate alkanes)
• Two chemicals that are potent global warming gases (PFB and CF₄)
• At least two chemicals that have widely contaminated the world (PFOA and TFA), one currently undergoing a rigorous safety review at the Environmental Protection Agency (PFOA)

[1] Clayton, JW. 1967. Fluorocarbon toxicity and biological activity. Fluorine Chemistry Reviews 1(2): 197-252. [2] Blandford, TB., Seamon, PJ., Hughes, R., Pattison, M and Wilderspin, MP. 1975. A case of polytetrafluoroethylene poisoning in cockatiels accompanied by polymer fume fever in the owner. Vet Rec 96(8): 175-8.