The Teflon Deception Continues
Evidence continues to mount that perfluorochemical (PFC) emissions from synthetic compounds in non-stick cookware and cleaning products produced by DuPont may cause cancer and other health problems.
In particular, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which cannot be broken down by heat, light, or microbes, have been shown to cause tumors in the pancreas, liver, testicles, thyroid, or mammary glands in animal studies.
Workers involved in manufacturing PFOA were also shown to be three times as likely to die of prostate cancer as those who weren't.
PFC concentrations have been found in the blood of fish, dolphins, seals, sea lions, minks, polar bears, gulls, albatrosses, bald eagles, sea turtles, and dozens more species. PFOA is present in the blood of 90 percent to 95 percent of U.S. residents.
DuPont has never conceded that PFCs cause health or environmental problems, although they have attempted to rein in emissions.
AlterNet January 2, 2007 Dr. Mercola's Comment: (Dr. Joseph Mercola is the author of the "Total health Program"
Despite mounting lawsuits against DuPont for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the harmful chemical used in the making of Teflon cookware among many other consumer goods, the company has still not conceded that perfluorochemicals (PFC) are the focal point of countless environmental and health-related disasters.
The EPA has called for a Teflon ban, and DuPont has paid millions in fines for hiding evidence about the dangers of PFOA and other PFCs.
But to date, any ban among manufacturers has been a voluntary one, and financial penalties, even in the millions of dollars, are mere chump change compared to the hundreds of billions made on products whose residues can be found in nearly every U.S. citizen.
Among the interesting details about the ongoing Teflon scandal, outlined in this excellent AlterNet piece:
More than a quarter of DuPont shareholders voted to eliminate PFOA completely last April, considered by many to be a wake-up call to management that has, up to now, been ignored.
Despite the massive amount of information regarding the toxicity of these chemicals, however, it's anyone's guess whether PFCs will ever be regulated or that something worse might come along to replace them. The EPA receives almost 150 new applications for chemicals every month, and it's squarely their responsibility to ferret out the truth.
Nevertheless, there are some
simple steps you can take to avoid common toxic substances and protect your health, including:
-
Store your food in glass containers whenever possible, as it is the most inert container you can use.
-Only
use natural cleaning products in your home. Most health food stores will have these available or you can search online for them.
-
Buy and eat, as much as possible,
organic foods.
-
Avoid processed foods.
-Switch to
natural brands of toiletries, including
shampoo, toothpaste,
antiperspirants and cosmetics.
Of course, one of the most important things you can do is throw all your Teflon pots and pans away. Ceramic-coated pans are my current favorites and are the ones I use in my own home.
I want to add: many antiperspirants contain aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH) as the active ingredient which is the first reason for breast cancer. Buy antiperspirants and deodorants w/out aluminium.
Use shampoos and cosmetics without silicone and -paraben ( preservatives: methyl-,propyl-, buthyl-, etc.). Even better without Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (which is the washing raghwe, you think more raghwe better washes, hehe, but that's not the case, it means more chemicals!) and propylene glycol free.
Use Toothpaste without fluor (guess what, it is also toxic)
Unfortunatly everything marketed in Lebanon is full of chemicals because we are a third world country without any control from institutions.
So it is impossible to find natural product in Lebanon ( and i dont just mean food: but cleaning products)
If anyone knows any natural product , do tell. thank you. ( all the ariel, fairy, clorox, detol stuff etc. we use are very toxic and carcinogenic...we inhale their vapors and have their components in our blood.) 
Teflon (Tefal) is poisonous/ How to avoid toxic substances -
19th January 2007
6th February 2007
