Congratulations to the EPA on Chemical Toxicity

    Nonstick frying pan coatings have been around for some years. The coatings are polymers, which means molecules stuck together to make a solid. The molecules are perfluorinated, which means they are loaded with fluorine atoms.
    The coatings are not dangerous, but the EPA says that laboratory tests show that the molecules, from which the coatings are made, are toxic to animals, such as quail and frogs. The EPA says the chemicals cause adverse reproductive developmental and systemic effects in lab animals.
    The problem arises through the fact that in the manufacture of the coatings, some of the molecules are lost to the general environment. It is also characteristic that molecules with a high concentration of fluorine atoms are very stable and persist in the environment for many years. One particularly toxic molecule is perfluorooctanoic acid, which has eight carbon atoms in the molecule. Similar materials are also toxic and the EPA lumps these all together as long-chain perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). To date there has been no obvious toxicity problem in the human population, but there is reason to be concerned, if in continued production of the coatings, long-chain PFCs continue to be lost to the atmosphere and increase in concentration because of their long-term stability.
    The EPA has asked US nonstick coating producers to reduce their emissions of PFCs and have obtained good cooperation, but there are significant foreign producers who have not complied. This aspect is being taken up by the International Conference on Chemicals Management at a Nairobi, Kenya meeting, and will likely have some success.
    I find this activity on the part of the EPA and the International Conference on Chemicals Management completely justifiable, providing we are on solid ground with respect to proof that the PFCs are significantly toxic.