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Indeed. I'm not a big fan of Teflon. But at least it's almost completely inert (unless overheated), which makes it much less likely to be harmful than substitut

Indeed. I'm not a big fan of Teflon. But at least it's almost completely inert (unless overheated), which makes it much less likely to be harmful than substitutes.

Someone 2y ago
> But at least it's almost completely inert (unless overheated), which makes it much less likely to be harmful than substitutes. I don’t think that’s a strong argument. Asbestos is quite inert, and that is what makes it so harmful. A fiber will, over time, harm more and more cells.
- lazide 2y ago
  Teflon isn’t a sub-cellular sized needle though.
PaulHoule 2y ago
Probably breaks down to shorter chain PFAS https://chemsec.org/the-teflon-chemical-ptfe-is-often-touted-as-a-safe-cousin-of-toxic-pfas-but-is-it-really/ https://chemsec.org/the-teflon-chemical-ptfe-is-often-touted... Although it is claimed that very little migrates to food https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/authorized-uses-pfas-food-contact-applications https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/authorize... The monomer used to make it is considered "probably carcinogenic" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrafluoroethylene#Safety https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrafluoroethylene#Safety so occupational exposure at the factory and environmental release are concerns.
- nicoburns 2y ago
  > The monomer used to make it is considered "probably carcinogenic" Yeah, this is what I heard before. That the coating itself isn't so bad, but the manufacturing process produces stuff that is awful enough that we probably shouldn't use it.
autoexec 2y ago
"overheated" seems to be doing a lot of work here. It's extremely easy to heat a teflon coated pan to the point where it becomes harmful. Teflon flu isn't good for humans and is absolutely fatal to birds. Non-stick cookware releases toxic gases at typical cooking temperatures. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913736/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913736/

Indeed. I'm not a big fan of Teflon. But at least it's almost completely inert (unless overheated), which makes it much less likely to be harmful than substitutes.

Someone 2y ago

> But at least it's almost completely inert (unless overheated), which makes it much less likely to be harmful than substitutes. I don’t think that’s a strong argument. Asbestos is quite inert, and that is what makes it so harmful. A fiber will, over time, harm more and more cells.

lazide 2y ago
Teflon isn’t a sub-cellular sized needle though.

PaulHoule 2y ago

Probably breaks down to shorter chain PFAS https://chemsec.org/the-teflon-chemical-ptfe-is-often-touted-as-a-safe-cousin-of-toxic-pfas-but-is-it-really/ https://chemsec.org/the-teflon-chemical-ptfe-is-often-touted... Although it is claimed that very little migrates to food https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/authorized-uses-pfas-food-contact-applications https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/authorize... The monomer used to make it is considered "probably carcinogenic" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrafluoroethylene#Safety https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrafluoroethylene#Safety so occupational exposure at the factory and environmental release are concerns.

nicoburns 2y ago
> The monomer used to make it is considered "probably carcinogenic" Yeah, this is what I heard before. That the coating itself isn't so bad, but the manufacturing process produces stuff that is awful enough that we probably shouldn't use it.

autoexec 2y ago

"overheated" seems to be doing a lot of work here. It's extremely easy to heat a teflon coated pan to the point where it becomes harmful. Teflon flu isn't good for humans and is absolutely fatal to birds. Non-stick cookware releases toxic gases at typical cooking temperatures. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913736/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913736/