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The coating on non-stick pans used in millions of kitchens throughout the world has been linked to birth defects in humans and to the deaths of pets. Chemical firms face claims that perfluorinated organic chemicals, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is in Teflon and oil- and water-resistant coatings, are a health threat. Du Pont, which makes Teflon, has to answer accusations in the United States this week that it had evidence about dangers posed by PFOA but deliberately and illegally kept it secret. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that Du Pont concealed its own 1981 research showing that its pregnant workers were passing the chemical to their unborn children. In addition, in 1991, it failed to report evidence that the chemical had contaminated the water supply to 12,000 people. The dangers of these chemicals are well established--even the EPA announced their risks in 2003.
Telegraph August 8, 2004