As a follow up to my 'throw-away-teflon' page; no matter if DuPont claims Teflon is just peachy, the EWG (Environmental Working Group) doesn't. I'm not using Teflon if I can help it (eating eggs in a restaurant is a sure way to eat Teflon - I know, I've worked in that industry enough years to know that most short order cooks don't have the patience to properly season non-coated pans.)
EWG : Teflon Pollution from perfluoronated chemicals PFOA PFOS
Today, a panel of outside experts gave draft comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saying that an indestructible, toxic chemical that pollutes nearly every American's blood is a “likely human carcinogen.” The panel urged the agency to adopt stricter guidelines to protect human health, according to a majority of its members. This announcement follows news just last week that the EPA signed a voluntary agreement with the chemical's maker, DuPont, and seven other companies to reduce the chemical's use in products by 95 percent over the next five years and aim for total elimination of its use by 2015.
“This indestructible nonstick chemical meets the government's criteria of a 'likely human carcinogen,'” said Tim Kropp, senior scientist at Environmental Working Group (EWG). “We are pleased that the Science Advisory Board (SAB) concurred with many of the concerns we have raised about the hazards of PFOA. There is growing consensus that health officials should err on the side of precaution with any industrial chemical that ends up in human blood, but especially chemicals like PFOA that are toxic and indestructible. We applaud the EPA for reaching an agreement with industry to dramatically lower the amount of this chemical in popular consumer products, and we urge the agency to adopt a similarly strong stance to protect the public from possible health risks associated with this chemical.”
Open letter to the EPA re: DuPont’s failure to submit key health studies under the requirements of TSCA, here, and a form to send a letter to the president of Wal-Mart, here
Tags: environment, /Food, /Teflon
