Nonstick cookware, such as Teflon® pots and pans, offer a great convenience but most nonstick cookware is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which, when heated to 680°F on a regular electric stove, can release at least six toxic gases. Some toxic particles are released at temperatures as low as 464°F.2 These temperatures and higher can be easily reached whenever you preheat your pan on a high setting.
These toxins are particularly harmful to birds, and many pet owners have lost their birds when the fumes from overheated PTFE caused their sensitive lungs to hemorrhage and fill with fluid. When exposed to overheated nonstick cookware, human beings can contract “polymer fume fever,” which results in flu-like symptoms
