Chemours makes Teflon and other fluoropolymers. Its PTFE, ETFE, and PFA resins offer strong non-stick, corrosion resistance, easy cleaning, and low friction coefficients. They have oleophobic and hydrophobic properties, repelling liquids. This allows for easy manufacturing and maintenance with less downtime. It also prevents sticky materials and other contaminants from adhering to surfaces, allowing for easier machining.

Several studies have linked some of these chemicals to health problems, especially when exposed over a long period of time or during critical life stages. For example, the chemical PFOA—used to make Teflon and other products—has been shown to cause kidney and testicular cancer in lab animals. And PFOS, another widely used chemical in the United States, has been shown to damage the livers of lab rats.

The chemicals are being released into the environment around the plant owned by Chemours, a spin-off of DuPont, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Known as the Cape Fear Works, it is the largest such facility in the country. The company says it followed state guidelines for releasing the chemicals and that GenX, which it is replacing PFOA with, is safer than the earlier chemical and no more toxic at the levels being released.

Hernandez and Seed were retained by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc, and were compensated for their work on this article. The MTM Research Centre School of Science and Technology at Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden donated employee time to assist with this work.