Pizza boxes may be dangerous to human health, a new study suggests, due to the presence of a group of chemicals first introduced into food containers a decade ago.
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were introduced to replace a chemical used in the production of Teflon, after health concerns came to light. This hazardous chemical, known as C8 or PFOA, is produced by chemical company DuPont. Today, PFCs are found in a wide range of food containers, including pizza boxes, as well as outdoor clothing.
The Environmental Working Group (EWB) released a new report on May 1 outlining the hazards it has identified in the use of PFC's.
After paying a $16.5 million settlement in a court case, officials at DuPont assured the public that use of C8/PFOA would be phased out by the end of 2015. However, EWG claims the company is eschewing the public spotlight, to keep the public unaware of their actions.
"We are deeply troubled that families have no way of knowing if they are being exposed to these chemicals in their own homes. DuPont continues to hide the truth about the health concerns of these new replacement chemicals," Bill Walker, consultant to the EWG, said.
The report criticizes chemical companies for hiding the components of their products as trade secrets.
More than 200 scientists, representing 38 nations, also came together to call for limiting the use of PFASs, another group of fluorinated chemicals, in food containers, clothing and other products.
"In animal studies, some long-chain PFASs have been found to cause liver toxicity, disruption of lipid metabolism and the immune and endocrine systems, adverse neurobehavioral effects, neonatal toxicity and death, and tumors in multiple organ systems," researchers wrote in a statement published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
The products are so ubiquitous that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that traces of the chemicals can be found in the bloodstreams of nearly every American alive today. They can also pass into embryos developing in wombs, and have been found in animals around the globe.
Consumers looking to avoid PFCs should avoid eating fast foods of greasy restaurant meals that are often packed in containers manufactured with the chemical. Bags containing microwaveable popcorn often contain the chemical, an exposure which can be eliminated through traditional stove-top preparation. Nonstick cookware should be avoided, according to the EWG, as well as Gore-Tex and Teflon-treated clothing. Stain treatment on carpet and furniture can also be a major source of exposure to the potentially hazardous material, the group states.
Poisoned Legacy, the complete report by the Environmental Working Group, is available on the organization's web site.
Photo: John Tornow | Flickr
