Number 9, March 2005 » Chrysotile better than PVA » Another product to be banned by France? » Cancer in the kitchen? » Up in the air (by Sophie Stone) » Read for you : Solving the asbestos imbroglio in the United States » The final proof Cancer in the kitchen? Since forever, public health concerns harass the general public to exercise and eat healthily. In pursuit of this ideal, many people have brought into their kitchen anti-adhesive pots and pans. Butter, margarine and oils were then quickly replaced by Teflon. However, we have just learned that this product, recorded in the book of Guinness Record (most slippery product in the world) could be carcinogenic. Indeed, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened, at the end of January 2005, an investigation into perfluorooctanoic acid, which is the principal ingredient of Teflon, a product of DuPont (established in 1802). The EPA reproaches the company of hiding, for dozens of years, that its product could cause congenital malformations and in particular, cancer. According to the newspaper “La Presse” (Charles Côté), the EPA expects to reach an agreement with Dupont next month on further studies on Teflon. For example, EPA would like to learn how Teflon is spread in the environment: by incineration, by aging or contact with other chemical substances. In Canada, the Ministry of Health Canada and Environment Canada should publish, in the Spring, the results of their investigation into this product. DuPont defends itself by declaring that no adverse health effects have yet been proven, but it recognized that the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid in human blood does“raise questions to which answers must be found.” According to Chicago’s Tribune, DuPont has been sued by a group of 60,000 citizens in Ohio, living in the proximity of a Teflon factory, alleging that their drinking water was contaminated by effluents of the factory. DuPont is reported to have settled for US$345 million. Still according to Chicago’s Tribune, DuPont has stated that since then it has reduced its effluents by 95%. At this time, EPA has not published any notification recommending that people abstain from using products containing Teflon. At T-FAL Canada, here are the comments about acid perfluorooctanoic: “In 2003, independent analyses carried out by three laboratories confirmed that there is no presence of this acid in T-FAL kitchen anti-adhesive products. Our products are without danger and in conformity with the rigorous standards quality tests in environment of Group SEB S.A France, our parent company.“ What is Teflon? Invented in the laboratories of the DuPont company, Teflon was born at the beginning of the last century. It is recognized as being a resin of fluoropolymer. And, the principal ingredient entering the composition of Teflon is acid perflorooctanoic (APF). This chemical is water and oil repellent, as well as being heat resistant. This type of acid does not degrade and can now be found in food and, obviously, blood. According to EPA, traces of acid perfluorooctanoic can be found in the organism of more than 90% of Americans (blood samples). According to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the acid perfluorooctanoic, just like the sulphonate perfluorooctane (SPFO), are perfluored acids (PFA), which were recently detected in the liver and the blood of Arctic polar bears and seals, and in particularly in certain samples from Nunavut. The presence of these chemical substances in the Arctic environment is cause of much concern as PFA’s are very persistent poisons in the environment and do not seem to degrade. They can cause cancer, involving the expansion of the liver and they can also influence fertility of wild animals. According to information drawn on the Web site of Environmental Working Group, the smoke being released from the Teflon anti-adhesive frying pans would be responsible for the death of a considerable number of pet birds. On this site, one learns that a Chicago veterinarian would have documented, in one year, 296 deaths of birds, of which 105 would be related to the use of anti-adhesive cooking utensils.