Is Teflon cancerous?

Question

I've a range hood coated with Telfon, is it save to use?

Answer 1

The chemicals used to manufacture Teflon may be carcinogens, but Teflon itself is chemically inert at normal temperatures. It is safe in a range hood, PROVIDED that grease fires are quickly extinguished, and you use the exhaust fan. TFE Teflon breaks down subliminally at 650 deg. F, and its combustion products are deadly, both in terms of short-, and long-term damage. Neither TFE nor FEP support combustion, however, so once the fire source is removed they extinguish quickly.

A Teflon-coated pan left unattended on a burner set on high is much more deadly than the range hood. In the sad event of a general fire in your house or apartment, you are in far more danger from the smoke off the carpets and furniture than from the range hood.

One of the much-vaunted aspects of Teflon is its imperviousness to any acid, including hydrochloric and hydrofluoric. The most powerful acid in your body is the hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Therefore, any small amounts of Teflon you may ingest simply pass through unchanged.

Yes, the Teflon range hood is safe to use, provided you exercise normal cautions that you would exercise if you had, say, a wood cabinet over your range.

Answer 2

Teflon is an inert substance. It is impossible for it to be "cancerous". If what you mean is carcenogenic, then check this site out. You would have to ingest the Teflon and I don't know how using a range hood would cause you to do that, unless bits of it are falling off. If that is the case, I'd replace it at once. At high temperatures (like when you pre-heat a frying pan) gases can be emitted that are toxic. This has been proven to kill small birds (pet canaries, etc.) and may cause some illness in humans. The long term effects of repeated exposure to these gases is still in dispute.

Answer 3

Isn't a hood above the range? You don't cook directly on a hood do you?

it's still a big debate:

Teflon Poses Greater Cancer Risk Than EPA Previously Thought


In a draft risk assessment based on animal studies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled that exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical used by DuPont to make Teflon non-stick coating, could induce human cancer risk.

However, it appears the assessment may have been too weak, for a new report released by an EPA scientific advisory board (SAB) stated:

A majority of the EPA board that reviewed the agency's most recent report on PFOA believes the substance poses an even greater cancer risk and is likely carcinogenic to humans.

The report also urges the EPA to conduct cancer risk assessments based on the variety of tumors found in mice and rats during studies.

The Environmental Working Group -- one of the leading organizations studying and monitoring PFOA toxicity -- hailed the SAB report as a way to increase pressure on the EPA to conduct additional risk assessments for liver, breast and pancreatic cancer as well as the human immune system.

Dupont's Defense

Dupont officials declined to comment on the report; however, they did claim (in a prepared statement) that human health and toxicology studies suggest that PFOA exposure does not cause cancer in humans and does not pose a health risk to the general public. That's interesting, considering DuPont's studies have found elevated levels of total cholesterol and fats (triglycerides) among workers exposed to PFOA.

Moreover, DuPont believes the data already collected deserves greater consideration in the EPA's final risk assessment, instead of strictly relying on animal testing models.

Answer 4

It is ok to have it done on the hood. No particles will fall on the food unless you are using a brillo pad while cooking food at the same time. To answer your question, teflon is a carcinogen.

Answer 5

some people believe Teflon cookware is hazardous, I have not seen any warnings about Teflon range hoods.

Answer 6

it is to birds. when you cook using teflon covered pans it releases 15 different noxious gases into the atmosphere. these gases have been known to kill birds that reside in homes and are close to the kitchen where the cooking is being done.

Answer 7

No, but it can cause cancer if you injest it, (mainly in larger amounts). It really isn't recommended for eating however. Your range is fine...so long as the teflon is not falling into your food.

Answer 8

Yes, it is safe.

A rat was force fed one pound of Teflon over a period of 30 days but the sucker died before they found out if it would contract cancer. The scientist are still trying to figure out how the rat died.

Answer 9

They've been saying for 40 years that it was the best thing to come out of the space race so it would be surprising if it wasn't safe.

Answer 10

When the coating on the cook wear starts coming off, it can be harmful as with any metal ingestion....