Your Teflon Frying Pan May Be Causing Problems

Nothing may stick to Teflon, but new research suggests that the byproducts of the heat-resistant coating may be sticking around in the environment for a long time. Researchers in Canada have discovered that heating Teflon -- the coating used in non-stick frying pans -- and other similar compounds releases potentially harmful chemicals, including some linked to the destruction of the ozone layer and others that may linger in the environment for years and years.

The precise environmental and health impact of Teflon and similar heat-resistant coatings is uncertain, but the findings suggest that continued use of the compounds may contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming.

After ozone-depleting compounds called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) began to be replaced with alternative chemicals called hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), scientists began to notice a rise in levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the atmosphere. It turns out that as the alternatives to CFC degrade in the atmosphere, they produce TFA, which persists in the environment over time and can be harmful to plants.

But based on the amount of HFCs and HCFCs being used, Dr. Scott A. Mabury of the University of Toronto and colleagues realized that there was too much TFA in the environment to have been produced by these CFC alternatives alone.

Mabury's team suspected that some of the extra TFA in the environment may be produced when Teflon and other so-called fluoropolymers are exposed to high temperatures. Besides Teflon, other fluoropolymers are used in ovens, engines, circuits and other devices exposed to extreme heat.

Heating Teflon and other fluoropolymers produces TFA and a wide range of other chemicals. Some of these include CFCs, which destroy ozone, and fluorocarbons, which may contribute to global warming by acting as "greenhouse" gases.

Mabury noted that fluoropolymers also gave off larger versions of TFA that, like the smaller version, do not degrade in the environment. But it is possible that the larger compounds can make their way up the food chain, Mabury explained, since fish can absorb the chemicals from water.

The Toronto scientist stressed that the findings need to be confirmed and that the specific amounts of these chemicals released into the environment need to be measured. Although regular-sized TFA does not seem harmful to people, several groups of researchers are investigating possible health effects of the larger versions, Mabury said.

EPA Says Teflon Could Put Your Health at Risk 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.