Question About Appliances and Teflon

[joewill85]

So at some point I know we're going to want to buy a new appliance of some sort, or we'll move somewhere and maybe it will have new appliances, and my concern is with potentially killing my GCC because a heating element is coated with Teflon. I'm even more paranoid now because I called a company to ask if the item had Teflon on the heating element and they told me no over the phone, but thankfully I had already emailed them and the email support told me it did. When I called back I asked to speak to a supervisor just to make sure I got the right info, and they confirmed that the person I originally spoke to was wrong. Ever since then, I've been scared to buy anything new out of fear of harming my GCC.

As an example, right now I'm using an 8 year old toaster because I'm confident that the coating has been burned off over time, but I'd like to get a new one at some point. Does anyone on here have information about companies that do not use Teflon in any of their products, or about ways to verify that a product does not have Teflon? I'd like to replace my Teflon pans too (we always use low heat and NEVER leave them on the same burner, even after the burner has been turned off). Thanks in advance.

 

[weco]

There is no directory/listing of products and/or manufacturers that do not use the various coatings toxic to birds, so we are left to do our own research, however, those coatings will no longer be available on cookware and/or cooking utensils/appliances after next year...Teflon is scheduled to be off the market by 2015, but I have no idea what might happen to the licensed coatings not peddled by DuPont.....


Polytetrafluoroethylene - PTFE
perfluorooctanoic acid - PFOA
perfluorinated chemicals - PFCs

Are the primary coatings and/or coating ingredients we need to be concerned with (at this time, at least).

A good place to start familiarizing yourself with all these chemical terms & acronyms is an EPA web page, though It's not a complete listing of everything we have to contend with.....

Glossary of Terms | PFOA and Fluorinated Telomers | OPPT | OPPTS| US EPA

As to finding a safe appliance, you will either need to e-mail or use the postal service, addressing you inquiry to the company's customer and/or technical service department and inquire if there are any compounds used in, on or in the manufacture of the product that you are interested in, that are harmful, toxic and/or deadly to companion birds when those appliances, cookware and/or utensils are heated to temperatures greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit? If you do not draft your inquiry in specific terms similar to that, they will probably just respond with some scripted adware.....

Asking salespeople is as good as asking the proverbial brick wall.....any question about safety of that nature has to be sent to the manufacturer.....

Even if you are lucky enough to find something safe that suits your needs, you should always burn-in the appliance/cookware with the bird(s) removed from the house for 2-5 days, because first use will normally even cause most humans to have problems, because the oils, sprays & lubricants used in manufacturer will be burning off.....

One of the safest things you can do is to install or have installed, an over the stove/counter ventilation hood (THAT VENTS TO THE OUTSIDE) and use your toasters, griddles, tortilla makers, waffle irons, etc., etc. under that vent hood (WITH THE EXHAUST RUNNING).....