Scientific advisers to the EPA have voted to approve a recommendation that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is used to make Teflon and various stain-resistant products, should be considered a likely carcinogen.
The EPA is free to either accept or reject the decision.
Objections From DuPont and 3M
DuPont and 3M Co. objected to the panel's finding, claiming that there was "selective use" of the studies examined. They questioned the use of two reports.
One was an unpublished study conducted during the '80s linking PFOA to mammary tumors in lab rats that was included because it was peer-reviewed by the EPA.
The other was a favorable review of PFOA sponsored by DuPont and Dow Chemical, not considered by the panel, that challenged the results of the unpublished study.
The only panel member to criticize the ultimate decision was James Bus, a lead toxicologist for Dow Chemical Co.
Worrying About Profits
Meanwhile, an increasing number of home chefs have been wondering about the safety of Teflon since the initial studies, which found PFOA in the blood of nearly all Americans. Currently, roughly 70 percent of the cookware sold in the United States has a nonstick coating.
DuPont, worried that sales could fall, has taken out full-page advertisements in eight prominent daily newspapers declaring Teflon's safety.
The EPA has asked U.S. companies to voluntarily reduce public exposure to the chemical. DuPont pledged to meet the deadlines. Last year, the EPA fined DuPont $16.5 million for hiding data on PFOA toxicity for more than 20 years.
