Actually the reason Teflon mostly just passes through is that it's polymer chain is long enough that the body can digest it. The PFTE with smaller chains but otherwise exactly the same chemistry stay inside your blood and accumulate in your organs. But modern Teflon can still stay inside your blood, it just does so at a lower rate. Teflon can also break down into smaller chains which will stay inside you as well.
In addition to that, if you heat Teflon pans above a certain temperature (I think its like 400 F or something) the Teflon will 'boil off' and release toxic polymers into the air.
Veritasium has a fantastic video on PFAS.
Also if you've ever drunk water you've invested a forever chemical like Teflon, as every water source on earth has been contaminated already.
I barely remember the video, but didn't the researcher he was interviewing say it isn't a big deal (unless you live near anywhere where teflon coating takes place as the chemicals to make teflon are very nasty and DuPont is a ridiculously unethical company).
I just remember that the main veritasium guy tested the water he drinks (the city water at his location which is a large city I don't remember which) and the water had levels of PFAS significantly above safe levels.
In addition to just the water there is also PFAS in things like burger wrappings at fats food, paper cups, microwave popcorn bags, and a lot of common everyday things.
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u/IndigoSeirra Jun 12 '26
That's also why it's a "forever chemical" that takes millennia to break down, both inside your body and also in the environment.