Lawsuit against DuPont alleges it failed to warn of the dangers of cooking with Teflon-coated pots and pans

Marketplace (Minnesota Public Radio), Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Gardner
Published April 19, 2006

ANCHORS: KAI RYSSDAL REPORTERS: SARAH GARDNER BODY: KAI RYSSDAL, anchor: I went looking for my favorite frying pan the other night. Couldn't find it because my wife had thrown it away. She'd read reports that Teflon might cause cancer. There have been some lawsuits against DuPont alleging exactly that. And today in Iowa, there was a motion to turn them into one big class action. Sarah Gardner has more. SARAH GARDNER reporting: The $5 million lawsuit involves consumers from at least 14 states who say DuPont failed to warn them of the possible dangers of cooking with Teflon-coated pots and pans. In February advisers to the EPA recommended that C8, a chemical used to make Teflon, be named a likely human carcinogen. But the chemical has not been banned. And there is widespread disagreement on the danger of using Teflon products. Today, DuPont said it would vigorously fight the lawsuit and insisted Teflon is safe. DuPont's David Booth... Mr. DAVID BOOTH: In fact, cookware coated with Teflon has been used safely by tens of millions of people for over 40 years. And is safe when used properly and as directed. GARDNER: Still, DuPont has agreed to reformulate Teflon. And late last year agreed to pay a $10 million fine to the EPA for reporting failures related to C8. The company had already paid out $107 million to plaintiffs in West Virginia who claim C8 tainted their water supply. Just today, a similar suit was filed in New Jersey. Richard Wildes of Environmental Working Group says these cases point to the need to reform federal laws on toxic chemicals. Mr. RICHARD WILDES: We think that the appropriate system would evaluate the safety of these chemicals before they come on the market. And that's the system that we need. GARDNER: Plaintiffs in the Iowa case want DuPont to set up a fund to monitor the health of consumers who have used Teflon-coated cookware. I'm Sarah Gardner for MARKETPLACE.