Teflon - Too Slick for Claim to Stick?

A group of plaintiffs' lawyers have filed suits against DuPont, the manufacturer of Teflon, on behalf of potentially millions of consumers.  The suits have been consolidated in federal district court in the Southern District of Iowa where a class certification determination is pending.  The suits allege a failure to warn of claimed carcinogenic and respiratory hazards of toxic fumes containing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) allegedly released from Teflon-coated cookware at high temperatures.  PFOA is a building-block chemical used in the manufactuer of Teflon.  The suits do not claim any personal injuries but urge that Teflon should not even be on the market because of the alleged hazard.  In response, DuPont says that the claims are without merit, pointing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's statement that the agency has no indication that anyone is being exposed to PFOA through the use of Teflon-coated or other nonstick cookware.  See Peter Geier's story in The National Law Journal.

JDP