TEFLON The Teflon Chemical, PTFE is most likely a carcinogen as per the latest EPA findings published on Feb 20, 2006. Why does an long standing, American Company like Dupont even make cancer causing cookware? Some would say for Profit at the expense of public safety and health. About 70 percent of the cookware sold in the U.S. has a non-stick coating, according to the Cookware Manufacturers Association. Why do we cook in products that can kill us? Because they are easier to clean? That is a sad statement about our modern day society. Even if you do not use Teflon, many restaurants do, so you are still exposing yourself to the dangerous and potentially cancer causing Teflon Particles. Most Bakeries use non-stick pans as well as commercially prepared baked goods companies producing breads, biscuits and cakes.
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Additionally, it has been widely known by bird owners that cooking in Teflon is harmful and often toxic to birds. If the fumes from Teflon are so toxic to birds, some would infer that these fumes are also bad for Human adults and children. Why do miners keep caged birds, to monitor the AIR. Teflon is also used as a coating for almost all self cleaning ovens. Bird owners are advised to remove birds from the house when self cleaning an oven coated with Teflon. Again, common sense would ask "what will the toxic fumes do to my infant or to me?
On the DUPONT Teflon website, they do acknowledge that Teflon fumes from everyday cooking is dangerous to birds. As per their website: "Fumes from everyday cooking can be harmful to your bird, particularly smoke from burning foods. Overheated cooking oil, fats, margarine, and butter may create dangerous fumes. Scorched plastic handles can contaminate the air. Nonstick cookware, with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating, can also emit fumes harmful to birds, if cookware is accidentally heated to high temperatures, exceeding approximately 500°F (260°C) — well above the temperatures needed for frying or baking. In addition, PTFE coated drip pans should be avoided because even in normal use they reach extremely high temperatures and can emit fumes that are hazardous to birds. A simple rule of thumb is: never keep your pet bird in the kitchen." Well, by the same standard, infants should NOT be in the kitchen either. http://www.teflon.com/NASApp/Teflon/TeflonPageServlet?pageId=/consumer/na/eng/news/news_detail.birdsafety.html