DuPont was the PFOA mentioned in the above article. PFOA is classified as a class 2B carcinogen by the "International Agency for Research on Cancer", which means "low probable carcinogenicity". I published last year (2019) " Using a mobile phone, the risk of brain tumor triples? 〉 said, this level is defined as "carcinogenic to experimental animals, but has not been proven to be carcinogenic to humans", and it also includes cell phones, Ginkgo biloba extract and aloe vera whole leaf extract. The American Cancer Society has published an article that says Teflon cookware is not dangerous to humans, except for the risk of flu-like symptoms from overheating pots and inhaling fumes.
Although PFOA has been used to make telemarketing list Teflon in the United States in the past, it is not present (or is present in minimal amounts) in Teflon-coated products. A paper published in 2008, " Estimating Consumer Exposure to PFOS and PFOA " (estimating consumer exposure to PFOS and PFOA), also said that consumer exposure to PFOA is minimal. However, since PFOA is a health concern, and it also causes pollution near the production plant, DuPont no longer uses PFOA to make Teflon in 2013, and has completely stopped its production after 2015. . So since PFOA can no longer be used, how can DuPont continue to make Teflon?
The answer is to replace PFOA with another surfactant called GenX. PFOA has a carbon chain length of 8, while GenX has a carbon chain length of 3, so GenX is considered to be more environmentally friendly (easier to break down). But due to serious concerns from environmental groups and local governments where the factories are located, the EPA has been collecting opinions since 2018 (see "Draft Toxicity Assessments for GenX Chemicals and PFBS "). So far, the EPA has not ruled on whether GenX should be banned. Whether it is PFOA or GenX, it is only used in the process of making Teflon. But many individuals or groups, including Taiwan's Consumer Foundation, regard Teflon as PFOA.