Ideal Bite

PFC CHEMICALS

Stick Up

07.13.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 11:00pm.

The Bite:

Are stealthy chems robbing your health? Never fear - just hold up on using products with perfluorocarbons (PFCs), commonly found in stain guards, beauty products, and nonstick pans - there are plenty of alternatives. Neighborhood, watch:

The Benefits:

Not mugging your well-being. Kinda scary, we know, but studies have linked PFCs to organ damage and hormone disruption, and they accumulate in our bodies and circulate there for years.
Planetary 911. PFCs never fully break down in nature; in gas form they warm the atmosphere up to 6,500 times more effectively than carbon dioxide (read: they cause global warming); and the EPA is looking to phase them out in many products.

Personally Speaking:

Jen turned down the free stain guard treatment for her new sofa on a hunch that it wasn't eco or healthy. So we researched this tip in part just to confirm, and lo and behold…

Wanna Try:

Avoid stain-resistant treatments on carpets, clothing, and furniture, or buy products that aren't stain-guarded and apply a non-PFC-based option such as Nikwax yourself.
Check your personal care product labels for "PFTE" or "perfluoro" in the ingredients, and avoid them when you can (lotions, nail polish, powders, and shaving cream often contain them).
Lower your greasy food intake - foods like French fries and microwave popcorn sometimes come wrapped in PFC-treated packaging.
Kick your Teflon cookware habit in favor of other, greener nonstick or cast iron options.

Environmental Working Group - check out lists of products and manufacturers that use PFCs.

Cocktail Fact

Low pay, high risk job: The average bank robber in the United States nets just over $4,000 per job.

Bang For The Bite

PFCs can be hard to avoid in certain products, but the benefits of a healthier life and planet outweigh the extra few minutes you'll spend shopping around.

6 comments

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Nancy Cooper on July 13, 2009 at 04:21 AM 1

Are there health risks with Glide, a dental floss that is coated with Teflon?

Elaine Crocker on July 13, 2009 at 07:33 AM 2

Instead of Pam or similar products, keep a spray bottle of oil near your stove to coat iron skillets or baking pans. You can set the nozzle for a fine mist and get the same nonstick results.

Nancy Pyne-Hapke on July 13, 2009 at 09:27 AM 3

also worth noting: EarthPan®. http://www.potsandpans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/brand_10001_10001_5...

Robin Barr on July 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM 4

Just called the Nixwax company and they don't recommend any of their products for sofa's and chairs. I'm so disappointed because that's what I need it for. They said they're often asked that question yet haven't researched it well enough to provide options other than Scotchguard, which is what we all want to avoid.

Vicki Medley on July 31, 2009 at 02:57 PM 5

My large teflon pan has finally become so scratched and worn out, that I have been to the store a few times, looking at the different brands of teflon skillets and trying to decide whether or not to buy another one. Okay, I probably shouldn't have wasted this much time or gas making a decision about this. But old habits are hard to break. Let's face it, we have become a lazy society. Who wants to waste our oh so valuable time to scrub a skillet! Well, in the meanwhile, I've had to use my stainless steel skillets, and guess what, they are not so bad. Yes, they are not as quick to clean, but a little soaking in the sink and voila! And, I even feel good about not hurting the environment and doing the right thing for my family.

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