6 out of 10 households are still cooking with PFAS pans

PFAS in eel from Dutch rivers, PFAS in wild game, and recently PFAS in eggs from backyard chickens: you've got to watch what you eat. But even if you're very careful, there's still a good chance you're ingesting these harmful substances through your food. Almost six in ten Dutch people still use pans with a non-stick coating that contains PFAS. This is according to a survey we commissioned among 500 Dutch people.

Most people know the risks

It's remarkable that so many people still cook with 'PFAS pans', says our founder Teun ten Dam. "Our research shows that two-thirds of respondents know what PFAS is, and three-quarters also know that it's in non-stick coatings. Yet less than a third consciously cook PFAS-free. People clearly underestimate the health risks and the long-term environmental impact."

Parents with young children cook PFAS-free more often

Interestingly, people with children seem to think about it more often. For example, 'only' half of the parents of young children (up to 13 years) cook with pans that contain PFAS, while that's almost two-thirds for households without or with older children. "Apparently, we do draw a clear line for our kids, which says a lot. We know that those substances aren't okay, but we seem to swallow them for ourselves," says Teun.

PFAS pans are often cheap

But if we know that pans with a PFAS non-stick coating are bad for us, why do we still use them? Teun: "Simple: they're dirt cheap. You can score one for less than a tenner at the discounter. Sounds appealing, until you realize that such a pan wears out quickly and you either have to buy a new one again, or keep cooking with crumbling layers in your food. That's no bargain, that's a side dish you didn't order."

Many Dutch people seem to realize this by now. 53 percent of the respondents in our survey indicate that they're willing to pay more for a PFAS-free pan. Among parents of young children, this rises to 73 percent. We hope they'll soon turn this into action. 

"Do you really want to ingest less PFAS? Then it's not just about what you eat, but also about where you prepare it. That pan on your stove plays just as big a role as what's on your plate. Making a conscious choice in the kitchen isn't rocket science, but it is a small effort with a big impact."