Teflon frying pans are great for eggs over easy, but their nonstick coating can release chemicals into the environment that may take centuries to break down, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. A University of Toronto research team found that Teflon emits trifluoracetate (TFA) when heated to extremely high temperatures. Once released, TFA seems to collect in wetlands. As levels of the pollutant build up over time, scientists speculate that TFA may pose a problem to plants. A spokesperson for DuPont, which makes Teflon, said Teflon wasn’t normally heated to the temperatures the researchers studied, making the findings questionable.
