My initial understanding of the dangers of non-stick coating were somewhat inaccurate; while I had believed that the health hazards were only a problem if the coating became chipped, it turns out that scratches in the coating are just as dangerous; apparently, even scratched, when heated has the potential to kill birds and cause flu-like symptoms in humans. While it was previously thought that the coating would only break down if heating temperatures exceeded 350F, it turns out that a pan sitting on a stove can exceed that temperature in a matter of minutes.
Non-stick materials are typically manufactured using PFCs such as Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), a key processing agent in the production of non-stick and stain resistant materials, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which was a key ingredient in Scotchgard.
Additionally, a recent study at UCLA found that perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) may be associated with infertility in women.
"Our data showed that higher proportions of women reported irregular menstrual periods in the upper three quartiles of PFOA and PFOS compared with the lowest, and so this could indicate a possible pathway."
The cookware I was using were non-stick coated aluminum pans, so I was also in danger of increasing my intake of aluminum anytime I cook with either basic (potatoes) or acidic (tomatoes) foods. Studies have shown that aluminum cookware leaches 3-6 mg aluminum per 100 g serving of tomato sauce. There is also some possibility that aluminum intake and onset of alzheimer's disease are related.
I hate throwing things away when it can be reused or recycled, but pots and pans are not something most curbside recycling would do anything with, which lead me on my quest to find a place that would take pots and pans for recycling, which lead me all the way to Oakland, to a place called Schnitzer Steel.
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