DuPont statement in response to class action lawsuit on non-stick cookware

Jul 19 2005

DuPont will vigorously defend itself against the allegations raised in this lawsuit.

Consumers using products sold under the Teflon brand are safe.

Cookware coated with DuPont Teflon non-stick coatings does not contain PFOA. This has been verified by an independent peer-reviewed study of consumer products published in April 2005 in Environmental Science and Technology. Approved standard FDA tests also show that non-stick coatings used for cookware sold under the Teflon brand, do not contain any PFOA.

Like any household product, cookware coated with Teflon non-stick is safe when used properly. Teflon is a trusted brand and is used all over the world by millions of people every day.

Independent U.S. public agencies have studied non-stick coatings and have approved their use. The Food and Drug Administration, the leading U.S. health regulatory agency, has found non-stick coating acceptable for conventional kitchen use.

Also, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently rejected a petition to require a label warning for non-stick coatings. Health regulatory agencies across the globe have approved the use of Teflon coatings for non- stick cooking surfaces.

DuPont Teflon non-stick coatings will not begin to deteriorate until the temperature of the cookware reaches about 500 degrees Fahrenheit or 260 degrees Celsius. Significant decomposition of the coating will occur only when temperatures exceed about 660 degrees Fahrenheit or 340 degrees Celsius - well above the smoke point for cooking oil, fats or butter. Therefore, it is unlikely that decomposition temperatures for non-stick cookware would be reached without burning food to an inedible state. However, these high temperatures can be reached if dry or empty cookware is neglected on a hot burner or in an oven. Over the past 40 years, there is only one documented case of a minor health effect as a result of non-stick cookware.