Posted on 10/12/2025 6:14:11 PM PDT by jerod
Experts worry about health, sustainability of non-stick pots and pans
s you’re pulling out pots and pans to cook Thanksgiving dinner this weekend, some culinary experts are warning Canadians about the pitfalls of a common, convenient tool you might be turning to: non-stick cookware.
When she was just starting out in the industry, maintaining a food blog, Julia House spent hours researching the right tools to buy for her ever-growing kitchen, wanting to know which products would last, and which ones were safe.
“The nature of non-stick pans is there isn't one on the market that will last forever, period. Full stop. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not being honest with you,” House said. “It's a thin material, it's a soft material.”
Non-stick pots and pans contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — more commonly known as PFAS. PFAS have been dubbed forever chemicals because they don’t degrade naturally.
They aren’t just found in non-stick cookware; PFAS are also used in cosmetics, take-out boxes, medical devices — the list goes on.
According to Health Canada, exposure to PFAS can affect the liver, immune, reproductive and nervous systems, as well as kidneys, thyroid and metabolism.
They’re so harmful that California’s legislature has approved a bill that would ban the sale of cookware made with PFAS. But, as The New York Times has reported, some celebrity chefs have come out in opposition to the bill, particularly those who sell or endorse cookware lines.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s deadline to sign the bill is fast approaching, on Oct. 13.
As is at times the case, how B.C.’s government decides to approach PFAS may depend on what happens in California.
In a statement to CBC News, B.C.’s Ministry of the Attorney General said the province is looking into ways to address PFAS — and watching closely to see what happens in other jurisdictions.
“We are determined to use all tools at our disposal, including legislation, regulation and litigation, to hold bad-faith actors accountable for their actions,” the ministry said.
Ceramic coatings are wonderful, we have also used non stick cast iron which is also nice. But since we won’t be able to have stoves anymore, who cares?
Way to focus on the important stuff, California.
Anyone who can’t figure out not to use the cookware once the coating has been damaged certainly should be kept away from hot stoves anyway.
Eff the pans, California should ban disposable diapers...There everywhere...They just throw them out the windows in CA! All piled up in the parks, streets...Gak~
Bingo!
“Non-stick pots and pans contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances”
No! Not that!
The future of California...???
An old post elsewhere on the net:
(https://www.tefal.com/cookware-commitments)
Is it dangerous to cook in a scratched pan?
TEFAL non-toxic cookware products are designed to be long lasting without deteriorating. However, inadvertently swallowing a piece of the coating is quite harmless.
As the studies conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): the human body does not assimilate the particles, which remain utterly harmless.
However, scratches can cause a reduction in the non-stick qualities of the utensil: so it is best to replace the product concerned.
Usually the cancer agencies freak out over anything (though that from T-Fal admittedly)
Are you kidding? No open fires. They are banning woodstoves too
Put that out. Thag no have carbon credits to light fire. Thag must eat tofu raw.
I have a non-stick pasta pan that has all kinds of scratches and I still use it. ;)
I had forgotten about that odd tradition of our Canadian friends to celebrate Thanksgiving in the early part of Autumn, vs when we do it. They will be observing Thanksgiving this coming Monday, on October 13th.
Why? “That’s how it’s always been done!”
I heard a really good insult years ago, don't know where or from whom I heard it, but your comment reminded me of it: "You are the soiled diaper on the parking lot of life.
You are not taking my stove/heater. Your not taking any pots or pans. Your not taking anything.
Thing is, it should be a personal choice based on education on the matter - not mandated nor banned by any nanny state government.
People who don't care or don't want to expend the energy to get educated are free to deal with the cancers and problems that follow.
I’ve been using ceramic non-stick pans for years. They don’t last as long but they are cheap enough to replace. I guess they don’t have the PFAS stuff in them and they are perfect for frying eggs in the morning.]
because they don’t degrade naturally.
They just pass through the body.
I’m trying one of those Gotham Steel skillets now. They are quite slick indeed. Too slick. What’s the first indicator (besides smoke) that your food is starting to burn? It starts to stick. Not in this pan, so it’s actually easy to burn something in it if you’re not careful.
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