Should You Replace Your Teflon Nonstick Pans?

I must admit, I'm hooked on nonstick cookware. It's the easiest way to make egg white omelettes and to pan-fry tilapia filets -- two of my favorite eats. The more I've used my nonstick pans, the more uses I've found for them. With all the heavy usage they get in my household, it's important to make sure that they're not causing any harm to my family's health.

Have you ever really thought about what's in your nonstick cookware, or what happens when you heat it up? Let's take a closer look at those popular nonstick pans.


Traditional nonstick cookware contains PTFE, which is more commonly known by one of its brand names: Teflon. (T-fal is also PTFE based.) Studies have been done on the health effects of PTFE fumes to humans (and pets) when PTFE reaches high temperatures during cooking. As for the environmental effects, petroleum byproducts created during manufacturing end up in the soil and water supply.

The good news is that PTFE is banned in cookware in the U.S. beginning in 2015. Some manufacturers were already producing "green cookware" to meet demand by health-conscious and environmentally conscious consumers.

A good PTFE free nonstick pan is an indispensable tool to have in your kitchen for cooking delicate foods and Sunday morning breakfast. Their ability to cook without oil and fat, and their easy cleanup make nonstick pans a popular choice for cookware.

In response to growing environmental and health concerns (as well as concerns from bird owners) there are now several eco-friendly nonstick pans on the market, and green cookware sets that are made without PFOA and PTFE (petroleum free cookware).

If you're worried about the safety of nonstick cookware, you're not alone. Keep reading to find out what makes certain cookware toxic, how to find healthy alternatives.

Are nonstick pans safe? What are the health risks?

Science lesson! PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is used to manufacture PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which is the chemical name for Teflon nonstick coating.

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) poses a unique danger in nonstick pans because the chemicals in the nonstick coating break down at high temperatures and release toxic fumes. (Bird owners have been out front and among the most vocal about this issue, as these fumes are lethal to our fine-feathered friends.)

In nonstick cookware, it commonly appears under the brand name Teflon, which is what gives the cookware its nonstick properties.

PFOA (also known as C8) is a processing agent used in the making of Teflon. It is present in lots of consumer products, from microwave popcorn bags, to pizza boxes, to dental floss, and some 95% of us have got the stuff in our bloodstream -- even newborn babies. The EPA's Science Advisory Board has labeled PFOA a "likely carcinogen," (cancer causing agent), and its other potential health effects are being studied. After some class action suits against several manufacturers and a settlement with the EPA, Dupont (the maker of Teflon and PFOA in the U.S.) has agreed to phase out the use and production of PFOA by 2015.

Heard enough? Are you ready to make the switch to something healthier? Many houseware brands are introducing PTFE free and PFOA free cookware to address the growing health and environmental concerns of users.

There are also companies that specialize in eco-friendly cookware. These pots and pans use different manufacturing processes and materials to avoid the harmful petroleum chemicals and byproducts used in traditional nonstick cookware.

Read more:
Are my non-stick saucepans a health hazard?
Teflon and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)