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Non-stick Pans May Release Millions Of Tiny Plastic Particles Into Your Food Study Finds
Microplastics—those tiny particles less than 5mm in size—have become one of the most pressing environmental concerns of our time. Found everywhere from ocean floors to our dinner plates, these particles stem from many surprising sources. And now, new research has revealed one more: your scratched nonstick pan.
Key Study Reveals: One Scratch Can Release 9,100 Microplastic Particles
A groundbreaking study by researchers at Flinders University and the University of Newcastle (published in Science of The Total Environment, Dec 2022) has shown that a single scratch on a Teflon-coated nonstick pan can release up to 9,100 microplastic particles.
Even more alarmingly, extensive damage could release up to 2.3 million particles during typical cooking. The particles are primarily polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)—a PFAS compound—which raises additional health concerns.
What Are Microplastics—and Why Do They Matter?
Microplastics can be either:
Primary: Intentionally made small (like microbeads)
Secondary: Created by the breakdown of larger plastics
They’ve been detected in:
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