Teflon makes life easy, but is it safe?

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, June, 2006 by Rose Marie Williams

Nearly every American consumer is acquainted with the advantages of nonstick cookware. Omelets slide off the pan instead of sticking, and washing pots is a snap. Teflon practically sells itself. After two generations of Americans being raised on Teflon cookware and a myriad of other products boasting similar nonstick coatings, we are again learning that better living through chemistry often carries a hefty price.

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Recent findings show that 95% of Americans have detectable levels of Teflon-related chemicals in their blood, that Teflon is persistent in the environment and toxic to pet birds and laboratory animals, and that practically no human studies can verify the safety of Teflon. With so much Teflon coursing through our veins, one would expect we'd have slippery blood, less plaque build-up, and fewer strokes and heart attacks. Alas, that is not the case.

History

Teflon is the brand name of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), discovered in 1938 by DuPont scientist, Roy J. Plunkett and introduced as a commercial product in 1946. DuPont patented Teflon in 1941 and registered the trademark in 1944. Teflon cookware has been supplemented with another DuPont product, Silverstone, a three-coat fluoropolymer system that produces a tougher finish than Teflon alone. (1)

Teflon was the first nonstick coating on pots and pans, but was easily scratched and scraped by ordinary kitchen utensils. Instead of getting trace amounts of iron from food cooked in cast iron pots, many of us got trace amounts of Teflon instead. Silverstone was the next generation of nonstick cookware, more durable that Teflon, but a related product. All nonstick cookware is akin to Teflon. Nonstick coatings have branched out of the kitchen into myriad consumer products. Examples include Stainmaster carpets; grease-resistant pizza boxes, fast food containers, microwave popcorn bags, and packaging for bakery items, drinks, and candy; Gore-Tex water repellent clothing and Stain Resistant fabrics; firefighting foam; computer chips; and phone cables. (2-4)

Canaries Then--Canaries Now

Coal mining has always been a dangerous job. In the early days, miners would take canaries into the mines to warn of toxic gas fumes not discernable to humans. Because of their small size and delicate structure, canaries would succumb more quickly to toxic emissions. When the canary stopped singing and fell off its perch, the miners knew it was time to get out. We can still learn an important lesson from canaries, if only we would pay attention.

According to veterinarian, Darrel K. Styles, PTFE intoxification, otherwise known as Teflon poisoning or Teflon toxicosis, "is a rapid and lethal gaseous intoxication of all species of birds." PTFE toxicity is caused by gaseous emission of the nonstick materials in cookware (Teflon, Silverstone, and all other brands). Toxicity occurs with very little warning. The only clinical signs of illness are birds dropping off their perches or showing severe respiratory distress (open-mouthed breathing, tail-bobbing, audible raspy breathing) followed quickly by death. (5) One grieving bird owner wrote to "Dear Abby" about losing his much-loved Amazon parrot to toxic fumes emitted from a burned Teflon pan. He wanted to warn others "that Teflon fumes are deadly to birds" and "harmful to small children." (6)

PTFE gas causes severe edematous pneumonia. The blood capillaries in the lungs hemorrhage, and the bird drowns in its own body fluid. Winter months when homes are tightly closed with poor air circulation can be even worse. Birds have also been killed by toxic gaseous emissions from Teflon-coated heat lamps and range burners. (5,7)

Toxicity occurs when the nonstick materials are overheated. The gas travels rapidly, and birds begin to die or become ill according to their proximity to the fumes. There are no warning labels on Teflon, even though DuPont publicly acknowledges that Teflon can kill birds. It takes less toxic exposure to kill smaller birds, but all birds are at risk. Dr. Styles suggests keeping pet birds out of the kitchen. (5,7) There does not appear to be any warning regarding babies or young children.

Health Risks

Polymer fume fever is the term used when individuals are sickened by toxic Teflon emissions. Symptoms of polymer fume fever include chest tightness, malaise, shortness of breath, headache, chills, cough, sore throat. and temperature between 100[degrees] and 104[degrees]F. All symptoms are characteristic of the common flu. (3,7)

DuPont has not studied the incidence of sickness among the millions of people worldwide using coated pots and pans, nor has the US government assessed the safety of nonstick cookware. In 1960, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Teflon for contact with food based on a study of cooking hamburgers on a heat-worn pan.

This did result in higher levels of Teflon in the meat, but was not considered to be a health risk at that time. The government has conducted no further safety tests of Teflon chemicals off-gassing in food or of the potential effects to humans from inhalation exposures, although several of the off-gas chemicals are considered highly toxic. (3,7)