Thousands of Minnesotans are unknowingly exposed to toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” every time they cook or eat from a Teflon (PTFE) pan.
Here’s what you need to know:
What Are PFAS?
PFAS are a class of thousands of man-made “forever chemicals” that don’t break down in the environment or the human body. Health impacts include: Kidney cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease,
weakened immune response, preeclampsia and low birth weight, and more.
Amara's Law: Protecting Minnesotans from PFAS
Passed in 2023, Amara’s Law is the nation’s most comprehensive ban on toxic PFAS in consumer products.
Effective January 1, 2025:
Products such as carpets, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstruation products, textiles, ski wax, and upholstered furniture cannot be sold with intentionally added PFAS in Minnesota.
By January 1, 2032:
All non-essential uses of PFAS will also be banned — stopping new PFAS from entering our water, our bodies, and our environment.
Amara’s Law turns off the tap on PFAS pollution, protecting our health, environment, and pocketbooks.
Industry Pressure
The cookware and chemical industries are working to weaken Amara’s Law and exempt cookware from PFAS restrictions. But the facts are clear:
- Safer, PFAS-free cookware already exists — including stainless steel, ceramic nonstick, carbon steel, and cast iron.
- Many brands already make PFAS-free lines while still lobbying against reform through the Sustainable Cookware Alliance.
- FDA approval ≠ safety. The FDA’s outdated chemical review process allows PFAS in food-contact materials without sufficient testing.
- PTFE in pacemakers ≠ PTFE in pans. One saves lives; the other is a convenience — and we have safer options.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
- Cleaning PFAS from Minnesota’s wastewater and biosolids could cost $14–28 billion over 20 years.
- PFAS costs $50–$1,000 per pound to buy, but $2.7–$18 million per pound to remove and destroy.
- Small wastewater treatment plants face costs six times higher per pound than large ones.1
- PFAS-related health costs in the U.S. are estimated at $37–59 billion annually.2
What You Need to Know About Nonstick Cookware
- PTFE (used in Teflon) is a plastic PFAS.3
- PTFE coatings flake, scratch, and degrade — releasing microplastics that carry PFAS into your food.4,5,6
- PTFE microplastics have been found in urine and semen and are linked to reduced sperm counts.6
- Heated PTFE pans release toxic fumes:
- Pet birds can die from exposure at just 326°F.7
- Humans experience “Teflon Flu” — flu-like symptoms after inhaling fumes.
- The Washington Post reported 267 cases in 2024 alone.
We Must Protect Amara’s Law
Minnesota is leading the nation. Amara’s Law is working — reducing toxic exposure, spurring innovation, and holding corporations accountable.
“I do know companies can step up and be the creative leaders we need in order for us to live PFAS-free lives…But now speaking to these corporations directly: This is your chance to be that one billion-dollar company that saves lives by rebuilding the community that built you from the ground up.
I know this bill to ban PFAS in non-essential items is going to be hard for companies. Let’s see companies that promoted ‘solving what's hard’ rise to the occasion as leaders in innovation. Now is your chance to shine.”
— AMARA STRANDE
1. https://www.pca.state.mn.us/news-and-stories/groundbreaking-study-shows-unaffordable-costs-of-pfas-cleanup-from-wastewater
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8296683/
3. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-03/GenX-Toxicity-Assessment-factsheet-March-2023-update.pdf
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896972205392X
5. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c09524
6. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20241001/Study-finds-microplastics-in-semen-and-urine-linking-PTFE-exposure-to-lower-sperm-count.aspx
7. https://www.teflon.com/en/consumers/teflon-coatings-cookware-bakeware/safety/bird-safety
