DuPont Statement in Response to Class Action Lawsuit on Non-stick Cookware

Wilmington, Del.,  July 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°F or 260°C. Significant decomposition of the coating will occur only when temperatures exceed about 660°F or 340°C – 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.

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