Class Action Lawsuit
Class-Action Status in Teflon Lawsuit
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May 10th, 2006
"Millions Seek Class-Action Status in Teflon Lawsuit"
Millions of owners of Teflon coated cookware are seeking class-action status against DuPont Co. – a move that could potentially cost the company $5 billion.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal district court in Iowa, claims that Dupont concealed important information about the possible health risks associated with the use of Teflon-coated cookware.
Dupont manufactures Teflon and has maintained the safety of the product despite studies that prove otherwise. The studies, which were conducted by the company, demonstrated that the material could become toxic at high temperatures – temperatures typical of stovetop cooking.
The studies specifically showed that a chemical used in the Teflon manufacturing process releases toxic particulates when heated to high temperatures. The chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, is currently the subject of a safety study by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA suspects that PFOA is a carcinogen and thus likely to cause cancer in humans. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed DuPont for documents about the chemical and other related compounds.
The plaintiffs ask that the court require DuPont to stop the manufacture, sale, and distribution of Teflon coated products and also add a warning label to products still being sold about the health risks associated with their use.
The lawsuit also seeks the replacement of the owners'' Teflon-coated cookware or else equivalent compensation for that purpose and the creation of a scientific research fund.
If the court grants the lawsuit class-action status, plaintiffs lawyers will be able to represent and seek damages for the millions of consumers who own or use Teflon coated cookware in one master case.
