Are you eating cancer-causing chemical C8 in your favorite non-stick cookware? Why, again, the giant chemical company DuPont is sued because of Teflon?
Over the last decade, the giant chemical company DuPont has been heavily involved in polluting the environment, air and water. As a matter of fact, many might not know that DuPont is the third largest producer of chemicals, agrochemicals, polymers, safety materials, electronics and genetically modified seeds in the world.
It’s fair and befitting that we hear a lot about Monsanto and its evil history all over the social media, but DuPont deserves the same recognition as the evil Monsanto. I once mentioned that the difference between Monsanto and DuPont is the difference between a rat and a squirrel. Squirrels are fluffy tailed rats that have gotten television PR while a rat is a disease carrying pest.
After ExxonMobil and Dow, DuPont is the third largest producer of chemicals in the United States. All the toxic chemicals that companies like DuPont use to manufacture their products won’t simply dissipate in the air, but they find their way into our air, water and food supply.
As a matter of fact, thanks to the giant pharmaceutical and drug companies, the researchers at Portsmouth University discovered that fish in your dinner plate is contaminated with the anti-depressant drug known as ‘Prozac’ (when the drug enters the rivers via sewer system and tinkers and affects fish). However, the fish in your dinner plate isn’t the only thing that’s contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. Most of our food supply, consumer goods (ranging from clothes, bed sheets, mattresses to paint, eye glasses and cookware), air and water supply are contaminated with heavy metals, toxins, pesticides and cancer-causing chemicals like BPA (BPA is hormone-disruptive chemical used in making plastic containers).
The truth is that we are living in a more chemically independent world, and your favorite non-stick or Teflon product is no exception. Research has shown that non-stick products can contaminate your food with toxic chemical called C8 (PFOA).
For many years, we have warned our readers to boycott non-stick or Teflon products and simply cook their food in stainless steel or iron pans and pots. If you are using non-stick products, simply because your food doesn’t stick to it, you should know that research studies have found toxic chemical C8 contaminates your food and can result in high blood pressure in pregnant women, immune system disorder, thyroid, liver problems and higher cholesterol rate, even in children. As a matter of fact, the researchers have discovered that high blood pressure epidemic (as a result of chemical C8 in non-stick products) is usually combined with protein leakage into urine that can cause pre-eclampsia which threatens the health and life of both mother and the baby.
How for many years, the residents of Ohio and West Virginia have been suffering from cancer and other diseases as result of DuPont’s plant that’s producing toxic chemical called C8 (PFOA):
In 2002, the residents of Wood County in West Virginia were informed by the spokesman of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection that their air was contaminated by DuPont’s plant that was producing toxic chemical called C8 (PFOA).
Mid-Ohio valley residents’ water was also contaminated with C8, as a result of nearby DuPont’s plant. Medical studies show that three out of four residents’ of Mid-Ohio Valley have signs of pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia due to high exposure to chemical C8.
Although DuPont Company and their well-trained PR insist that exposures to C8 chemical known as PFOA doesn’t cause any health issues, independent studies show different results. Even, in 2005, Glenn Evers, the former DuPont's top scientist revealed that in 1981 DuPont was aware of the health side effects of using paper chemical coating in food packaging. This dangerous chemical is like C8 that accumulates in people's body and has adverse side effects long-term. In 2006, the officials of the United Steelworkers revealed a report that showed DuPont’s safety program called STOP is based on the idea that all injuries are caused by workers. However Mike Wright, the head of Health Safety and Environmental Department says that based on 20 years of investigation, the root of many catastrophic incidents in DuPont is related to unsafe workplace conditions. Based on Ken Test, the head of USW DuPont Council, many of DuPont workers and retirees suffer from chronic diseases due to exposure to dangerous toxic substances and chemicals.
Once again, West Virginian and Ohio residents sue the giant chemical company, DuPont:
A lawsuit was filed this month, on the behalf of Ohio and West Virginia residents who have been suffering from many health problems such as kidney and testicular cancer and thyroid disease as result of DuPont chemical plant.
In 2001, the residents of West Virginia and Ohio field a class-action lawsuit against DuPont which resulted in $343 million settlement for the residents’ medical test and DuPont agreed to remove the chemical C8 from the water supply of the residents.
However, the failure of DuPont to comply has led to the new lawsuit on the behalf of Ohio and West Virginia residents who have been poisoned for many years by DuPont’s chemical C8 plant.
"These are folks who've been waiting many, many years to be able to pursue these claims," said Rob Bilott, an attorney who has been working on the case for more than 15 years and represents the Mid-Ohio Valley residents. "Our goal is to be able to get these resolved for them and move forward as quickly as we can."
However, companies like DuPont are always in denial that their toxic chemicals could ever have any side effect on people’s health and in a written statement, DuPont spokesman, Dan Turner pointed out that “the lawsuits such as these ignore family history, lifestyle choices and other causes of health issues and disease in specific individuals. DuPont will vigorously defend against any and all such lawsuits not based upon valid science."
Teflon isn’t only used in cookware, but many other consumer products such as paint, clothing, carpets and bedding sheets
The perfluorinated chemical (PFCs), isn’t only used the non-stick Teflon but other synthetic fibers such as clothing, mattresses, car exterior, hats, athletic clothing and even eye glasses. Chemical C8 is added in higher volumes to clothes since it makes them more durable and wrinkle free. As a matter of fact, most clothing labeled as “no-iron” contains chemical C8.
Although, other consumer products that contain Teflon might not be as toxic as non-stick cook ware (since you are not directly eating chemical C8) but they can still get absorbed through your skin, although in very small tiny quantities. Skin is your biggest organ in your body, it’s also the largest organ of absorption and elimination, so what goes on the skin, also goes inside the body!
Although the giant chemical Company, DuPont is pleased that its toxic chemical C8 is used inside the paint in your house, your trousers, your cookware, your car exterior and your mattress, the truth is that chemical C8 is a dangerous cancer-causing chemical linked to many health problems.
May be the giant DuPont Corporation is proud that its toxic chemical C8 is used everywhere, even inside your pants, but such toxic chemicals have no place in clothing, home, car or food industry and they should be banned by the world health organizations and their manufactures should be shut down immediately.
Resources:
http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-foods/dupont-history/
