Study’s Preliminary Findings Show Teflon Chemical Linked to Elevated Cancer Rates
By Jennifer Griffith
Published on March 20, 2007
The Health and Human Services Department used data from the state cancer registry to compare various disease rates within the state to disease rates in those counties where the water supplies were allegedly contaminated with ammonium perfluorooctanoate—the chemical used to make Teflon—also known as C8.
The study became public when the attorney of a plaintiff in a C8 class-action lawsuit against the DuPont Washington Works plant discovered it in the state Department of Environmental Protection files. The class-action suit, which has been settled, accused the DuPont plant of contaminating the water supplies of Wood and Mason counties.
According to the state department study, the rates of some cancers associated with occupational C8 exposure are higher among residents of Wood and Jackson counties who may have been exposed to the chemical in local water supplies. Although residents of Jackson County did not participate in the class-action suit against DuPont, the county was included in the study because it is located between Wood and Mason.
The study does not indicate the cause of the elevated rates.
The Department of Health and Human Services said it was waiting for additional data before making the study public.
DuPont continues to maintain that C8 does not affect health.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, skin cancer, and prostate cancer were among the diseases shown to have increased incidence rates.
Keyword Tags: