January 22nd, 2010
By Harriet Blake
Green Right Now
PFOA, aka Perfluorooctanoic acid, is everywhere. It’s in the wrappers of frozen pizza and microwave popcorn; it’s in Teflon pots and pans; it’s in the stain resistant coating that protects new carpets.
PFOA is a stable man-made chemical used in industrial and consumer goods because it is good at repelling heat, water, grease and stains.
However, it is also a known pollutant that gets absorbed into the food product it is wrapped around or absorbed by humans who come into contact with it.
PFOA is found in the blood of 98 percent of Americans and in 100 percent of all newborns, according to Bill Walker, vice president of the Environmental Working Group.
Barbara Kessler
Andrew Winston
Danielle Nierenberg
Anthony Swift
