5 ms·

3M and DuPont knew 30 years ago about the PFAS-dangers, yet here we are still using it and the "replacement" GenX is not a bit less problematic (try to Google t

by fock 6y ago

3M and DuPont knew 30 years ago about the PFAS-dangers, yet here we are still using it and the "replacement" GenX is not a bit less problematic (try to Google that. Apparently someone doesn't want you to find that...)

spodek 6y ago
A lot longer than 30 years. I'm reading Exposure by the lawyer who helped blow the case open, Robert Bilott, portrayed in the movie Dark Waters, which I recommend -- the book and movie. What DuPont knowingly did, sacrificing our health for their profit, would be unbelievable except that it happened. Over 99 percent of us have these known carcinogens and causers of birth defect in our blood. As they knew, our bodies don't know how to get rid of them nor process them into anything benign. And that's just one class of known-to-be-dangerous but profitable chemicals they create and dump. If they had to pay the externalities, Teflon would cost . . . well, what price do you put on testicular cancer, or a baby born with half a nose or eyes in the wrong place?
- staticautomatic 6y ago
  In case you were wondering, the term for “causer of birth defect” is teratogen.
- linuxftw 6y ago
  Wait until you hear about pharmaceutical companies.
- refurb 6y ago
  Teflon? Teflon the polymer isn’t toxic. The monomer is a gas. Teflon is used in medical implants. It’s a massive technological gain, massive positive externalities.
  - mschuster91 6y ago
    The resulting product is fine, yes (assuming proper filtering at the end to remove contaminants). The nasty things happen along the production process, similar to why an awful lot of the US Superfund sites are in the "Silicon Valley" - the production process leached chemicals in the landscape: https://cleanair.camfil.us/2017/11/21/toxic-danger-silicon-valley-superfund-sites/ https://cleanair.camfil.us/2017/11/21/toxic-danger-silicon-v...
- loveistheanswer 6y ago
  >What DuPont knowingly did, sacrificing our health for their profit, would be unbelievable except that it happened. Why would that seem unbelievable to you? Aren't there countless examples of corporations harming humanity for profit?
minikites 6y ago
It can't actually be that bad because if it was, the free market would punish Du Pont, right?
zepto 6y ago
> GenX is not a bit less problematic Do you mean Generation X, or is this a reference to some chemical?
- fock 6y ago
  it's a chemical, but of course every reference is conveniently painted over by this
  - xboxnolifes 6y ago
    It's not exactly hard to find by just searching "GenX chemical"
klyrs 6y ago
First hit for "teflon alternative genx" https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/epa-finds-replacements-toxic-teflon-chemicals-are-also https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/epa-finds-replacemen...

by fock 6y ago

spodek 6y ago

A lot longer than 30 years. I'm reading Exposure by the lawyer who helped blow the case open, Robert Bilott, portrayed in the movie Dark Waters, which I recommend -- the book and movie. What DuPont knowingly did, sacrificing our health for their profit, would be unbelievable except that it happened. Over 99 percent of us have these known carcinogens and causers of birth defect in our blood. As they knew, our bodies don't know how to get rid of them nor process them into anything benign. And that's just one class of known-to-be-dangerous but profitable chemicals they create and dump. If they had to pay the externalities, Teflon would cost . . . well, what price do you put on testicular cancer, or a baby born with half a nose or eyes in the wrong place?

staticautomatic 6y ago
In case you were wondering, the term for “causer of birth defect” is teratogen.
linuxftw 6y ago
Wait until you hear about pharmaceutical companies.
refurb 6y ago
Teflon? Teflon the polymer isn’t toxic. The monomer is a gas. Teflon is used in medical implants. It’s a massive technological gain, massive positive externalities.
- mschuster91 6y ago
  The resulting product is fine, yes (assuming proper filtering at the end to remove contaminants). The nasty things happen along the production process, similar to why an awful lot of the US Superfund sites are in the "Silicon Valley" - the production process leached chemicals in the landscape: https://cleanair.camfil.us/2017/11/21/toxic-danger-silicon-valley-superfund-sites/ https://cleanair.camfil.us/2017/11/21/toxic-danger-silicon-v...
loveistheanswer 6y ago
>What DuPont knowingly did, sacrificing our health for their profit, would be unbelievable except that it happened. Why would that seem unbelievable to you? Aren't there countless examples of corporations harming humanity for profit?

minikites 6y ago

It can't actually be that bad because if it was, the free market would punish Du Pont, right?

zepto 6y ago

> GenX is not a bit less problematic Do you mean Generation X, or is this a reference to some chemical?

fock 6y ago
it's a chemical, but of course every reference is conveniently painted over by this
- xboxnolifes 6y ago
  It's not exactly hard to find by just searching "GenX chemical"

klyrs 6y ago

First hit for "teflon alternative genx" https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/epa-finds-replacements-toxic-teflon-chemicals-are-also https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/epa-finds-replacemen...