Reference summary — not medical advice or a personal risk estimate.
Non-stick cookware
Cookware with non-stick coatings; older items (pre-2015) may contain PFOA.
Also known as: pans, nonstick pan, frying pan, pan, PTFE pans, cookware, PFOA pans
What this does NOT mean
Finding a factor documented in this product category does not establish that ordinary use of non-stick cookware causes cancer. It means research — through regulatory testing, recall records, or IARC review — has found that chemical present in this category. Whether it matters for you depends on formulation, dose, frequency, and route of exposure.
What has been documented
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)IARC Group 1IARC Group 1Contains · high confidence
Used as a processing aid when making non-stick (PTFE) coatings until a voluntary US industry phase-out by the end of 2015; older cookware may still contain residues.
Evidence source: US EPA
How to read this page
A factor appearing on this page means it has been documented in this product category — through EPA / FDA testing, IARC monographs, or regulatory recall records. Whether it presents a meaningful personal risk depends on the specific formulation, dose, and how you're exposed. Click any factor to read what science actually says about it, and where.