Toronto - Canadian researchers warned yesterday that Teflon, a non-stick coating used in frying pans, is releasing chemicals into the environment that take centuries to break down and whose long-term effects are unknown.
Researchers from the University of Toronto demonstrated that Teflon, a fluorinated polymer created by E.I DuPont de Nemours & Co, degrades when heated. But although Teflon pans are the source of potentially harmful chemicals, cooking with the pans will not kill. A summary of their study is published in this week's issue of the science journal Nature.