The next time you make some microwave popcorn or cook a frozen pizza, consider this: The packaging of many of these products contains a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency considers potentially carcinogenic and wants businesses to voluntarily stop using by 2015.

Studies show that this chemical -- perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA -- is present in 98% of Americans' blood and 100% of newborns. It doesn't break down and thus accumulates in the system over time.

Yes, I've stopped using microwave popcorn, and paper plates (the grease resistant coating is teflon), but I haven't stopped serving frozen pizza. I'm guessing there's a teflon coating on the cardboard. I can work around that.