News Coverage
Sticking Point With Teflon
EPA Takes Another Look At Chemical In Nonstick Pans
Published April 15, 2003
Parker asked: Could non-stick pots and pans be hazardous to your health?
"It's not time to panic," Parker said before presenting her report, saying that the Environmental Protection Agency says there is no reason for consumers to stop using Teflon products at this point. But, at the same time, the agency is stepping up its investigation of Teflon after new tests show some cause for worry.
Marketed as mess-free and convenient, the once unknown term "Teflon" is now a household name. The nonstick pans, many of which are manufactured by DuPont, are a popular choice.
"I like it because it doesn't stick, it's easier to clean and it's a lot easier to use," Sharon Pankus, a Chicago resident, told Target 5.
But with the new shiny pans, Parker said, comes a new set of concerns.
The EPA is releasing findings of recent studies on Teflon, how it's made and its potential health risks.
Blood samples from three groups of people, selected at random, revealed low levels of the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) lingering in their blood for as long as four years.
Another study performed on lab rats injected with larger doses of the worrisome chemical showed delays in sexual development and an accelerated death rate.
EPA scientists have determined that there are still "scientific uncertainties" with PFOA. They are now focusing on the most rigorous testing of the chemical.
The concern leaves consumers stuck with more questions than answers, Parker said.
A statement from DuPont says the company maintains its position that PFOA does not pose an undue risk to consumers, but the company supports the EPA's quest for further study. The company says its Teflon products do not, in and of themselves, contain PFOA, but the chemicals of concern are used in the manufacturing process.
Parker stressed that, in these studies, lab rats are fed high doses of the chemical in question. The company, according to Parker, says "That's not what people do. That's not how (they) eat."
It's worth keeping an eye out for further findings, Parker added, "but don't stop cooking."