Can PFOA from non-stick cookware harm pet birds?
Birds have particularly sensitive respiratory systems, and can be injured by many kinds of household fumes, including those from aerosol sprays, burning butter or cooking oils, cleaning solvents, and overheated non-stick cookware. Bird owners can take several precautions to protect pet birds from cooking fumes: (1) keep birds out of the kitchen; (2) observe good cooking practices and never allow cookware to overheat; and (3) keep the cooking area well-ventilated. Cooked foods will most likely burn beyond an edible state before non-stick cookware surfaces are damaged and decomposed by extreme heating. Tests confirm that non-stick coatings only begin to deteriorate when consumers use the product improperly at very high temperatures. Excessive exposure to any form of household fumes should be avoided. With this in mind, cooking should not be conducted in poorly ventilated areas.
