PTFE

Synonyms: Polytetrafluoroethylene, Teflon

CAS Number: 9002-84-0

Sources of exposure:

Personal care

Industrial use

Home goods; medical devices

Description:

PTFE is a high-molecular-weight fluoropolymer used to create smooth, non-stick, low-friction, and chemically resistant surfaces. It is used in cookware, electrical insulation, medical devices, waterproof materials, and some cosmetics and personal-care products. It is commonly known by the brand name Teflon. PTFE differs from smaller PFAS because the finished polymer is generally stable and is not readily absorbed into the body. However, PTFE production may involve other hazardous PFAS processing aids and can release PFAS through industrial emissions, wastewater, and waste disposal. PTFE is also extremely persistent, and wear or disposal may generate long-lasting fluoropolymer particles.

Health concerns:

No specific health concerns have been flagged for this chemical.

Banned/restricted lists:

Minnesota Amara's Law
California AB 1817-PFAS in textile articles

HOW MILLION MARKER SCORES CHEMICALS

Million Marker's Ingredient Hazard Scoring uses multiple chemical databases and a science-backed scoring system to compute hazard scores for thousands of chemicals found in consumer products and listed on ingredient labels.

We identified key chemicals based on a database compiling dozens of authoritative sources, screening tools, and QSAR models.

Hazard scores within 11 different health categories (carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxicants, developmental toxicants, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, skin/eye/respiratory irritants, and ecotoxicity).

They are weighted based on several factors, including strength of evidence for adverse impacts in humans, severity, and potential contamination.