EPA Says Teflon Could Put Your Health at Risk

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/2/teflon.htm

 

EPA Says Teflon Could Put Your Health at Risk

 

(Ed. note: From a purely business standpoint, you gotta love a

marketing plan like this. We sell you the chemicals that make you

sick, then we sell you the drugs " to treat " that illness, which causes

more illness, which results in more drugs, which results in

more....well you can figure it out. No wonder that about one out of

every 8 dollars goes to treat illness in the USA. or AKA " my god how the money

rolls in " )

 

 

The EPA ruled that exposure to a chemical used to make Teflon,

commonly used as a coating for non-stick cookware, could put your

health at risk. Even low levels of the chemical, perfluorooctanoic

acid and its salts, known as PFOA, or C-8, were problematic.

 

Exposure to the chemical creates " a potential risk of developmental

and other adverse effects, " the EPA said in a draft risk assessment

based on animal studies. The research on rats suggests that PFOA

targets the liver, is present in breast milk of rats and may be

carcinogenic.

 

The chemical's maker, DuPont, uses PFOA in many of its widely used

products, including firefighting foam, phone cables, clothing and

cookware.

 

A previous study, conducted by DuPont, found that employees exposed to

PFOA had elevated levels of total cholesterol and fats called

triglycerides, which might increase the likelihood of a heart attack

or stroke. However, the company stated the study " did not indicate

that PFOA was or was not the cause of the increases in serum

cholesterol and triglycerides. "

 

Nonetheless, DuPont has agreed to pay up to $343 million in a

September 2004 class-action lawsuit involving residents around an Ohio

Valley Teflon-producing plant. The residents say PFOA has contaminated

private wells and water sources in the surrounding areas in Ohio and

West Virginia.

 

In the report, the EPA raised concerns that the chemical could be

present in human blood nationwide, and showed a potential for

" developmental and other effects " in animal studies. DuPont

acknowledges that the presence of PFOA in human blood raises

questions, and says they are working to minimize people's exposure to

PFOA, although, to date, no human health effects have been found.

 

The EPA said the report was not conclusive and would be sent to a

science advisory board to help determine potential risks.

 

Seattle Post-Intelligencer January 12, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

I previously ran a news item detailing the dangers of using products

coated with Teflon. Specifically, the article reported that PFOA has

been appearing in people and animals worldwide -- one study even found

that in 23 states, 96 percent of 598 children tested had traces of the

chemical in their blood.

 

The EPA has since ruled, as the above article says, that even

low-level exposure to PFOA could pose " a potential risk of

developmental and other adverse effects " on human health. Even though

this ruling is preliminary, it's significant because it could help

determine if the government will finally regulate the use of this

risky chemical.

 

The EPA has already fined DuPont some $300 million for failing to

report its studies of the possible dangers linked to the

Teflon-processing agent.

 

If you aren't yet convinced of the potential dangers of using Teflon

cookware in your kitchen, I highly encourage you to read the story in

this issue of a prominent health educator, Gary Craig, who linked his

problem with frequent nighttime urination to his Teflon-coated frying

pan. It's quite an amazing testimony.

 

For those of you who want to avoid these toxic chemicals altogether,

and it certainly seems prudent to do so as much as possible, I

recommend ceramic-coated metal cookware or stoneware. The ceramic is

virtually inert and will not transfer any metal ions to the food you

cook or release toxic chemicals into the air.

 

 

If you do choose to use Teflon-coated cookware, NEVER heat it to high

temperatures, as this appears to release more of the toxic emissions.

 

Related Articles:

 

Teflon Chemicals are a Threat to Health

 

Your Teflon Frying Pan May Be Causing Problems

 

Warning: Teflon Can Cause Birth Defects & Infertility

 

Teflon Finds Itself in Sticky Situation

 

Do Environmental Chemicals Harm Humans?

 

The Medical Denial of Environmental Illnesses