DuPont Study Finds Link Between Teflon Contaminant and Elevated Cholesterol

Despite Teflon maker DuPont's longstanding claim that there are 'no known health effects' associated with its Teflon chemical PFOA, the company today announced that in a recently-completed worker study it found that PFOA exposures among Teflon plant workers were correlated with a 10 per cent increase in cholesterol. The company nonetheless repeats its 'no health effects' assertion in the same news release in which it announces that increase in human levels of the "bad cholesterol" (LDL). These results are consistent with previous findings of altered cholesterol in monkeys exposed to the Teflon chemical, and increased risk of death from stroke among workers exposed to the Teflon chemical.

This new DuPont finding regarding cholesterol is the fourth in a string of studies conducted since 1994 pointing to excess risks for stroke and heart attack among workers exposed to the Teflon chemical:

  • An American company called MIC Specialty Chemicals, Inc imports the Teflon chemical from an Italian company that makes it, called Miteni. Miteni's blood data of the past 17 years shows a slight increase of total cholesterol in the workers.
  • In worker blood studies conducted by 3M Corporation between 1994 and 2000, scientists also found excess total cholesterol levels among Teflon-exposed workers.
  • In 2001 3M published a study showing that workers exposed to the Teflon chemical for between five and 10 years face a risk of dying of stroke 15 times higher than non-exposed workers. 3M manufactured the Teflon chemical and supplied it to DuPont until 2002, when DuPont began its own production.

See sources here: https://www.ewg.org/research/pfcs-global-contaminants

LDL, the "bad cholesterol" is a well-known risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The EPA is trying to figure out how the indestructible Teflon chemical PFOA has gotten into the blood of over 95% of Americans; it is also suing DuPont for hiding health data for over 20 years.

RELATED LINKS

DuPont's News Release: DuPont Reports First-Phase Results of Health Study Examining PFOA Exposure

CITATIONS: DuPont's claim of "no known health risks"

"no known health risks"
News-Journal, "Findings in Teflon studies send DuPont down slippery slope"

"no known adverse human health effects"
News-Journal, "DuPont's troubled chemical C-8 is widespread in the environment. How did it get there, and should we be worried?"

"no evidence or data that demonstrates PFOA causes adverse human health effects"
DuPont Refutes Allegations of Violating TSCA Act

"no known adverse effects to human health"
DuPont News Release, "DuPont Refutes Health Effects Claims About PFOA Confirms Safety of Cookware Sold Under Teflon® Brand"

" no evidence or data that demonstrates PFOA causes adverse health effects"
DuPont News Release, "Position Statement on March 28, 2003 Inside EPA Article, "EPA Weighs Rare TSCA Regulation for Widely Used Industrial Chemical"

"no known human health effects"
U.S. Water News, "Dupont responds to water quality lawsuit"

"no known adverse human health effects"
Parkersburg News, "'20/20' Report Puts Spotlight On C8 Debate"

"no evidence or data that demonstrates PFOA causes adverse human health effects"
Occupational Hazards, "DuPont Refutes Charges of Health Risks for Teflon-related Chemicals"

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