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Cast iron rule
(sh.itjust.works)
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this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2025
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They last forever and don’t contain forever chemicals.
IIRC the forever chemicals are not the coating that stays on the pan. The Teflon coating is inert, the toxic part is the water soluble PFAS they use to apply it that would go away (away meaning everywhere, each and every corner of the planet) while or shortly after manufacturing, or with the first uses.
So if you already own non-sticky pans don't get rid of them, but look for another alternative when you buy a new one tho.
It's not quite inert, a too-hot Teflon pan will release toxic gasses that can kill smaller pets like birds.
And cause flu like symptoms in humans
It's still inert.
Inert simply means that the chemical bonds are relatively stable, not that they're indestructible.
You can decompose anything if you get it hot enough.
Don't they release microplastics as well?
The old cast iron skillets might have lead.
Only if someone melted lead in it. I can do that in a new iron pan too.
Everything contains chemicals, and if it lasts forever it must contain forever chemicals.
But it doesn’t have PFAS which is good.
no, cus it is just iron. the "seasoning" is the cover you make yourself which is why most people say you can't clean it.
Even cast iron pans have toxic things in them like lead, cadmium, and antimony. https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2025/08/le-creuset-toxicity-review-lead-cadmium-pfas.html
It’s just very unlikely to get into your bloodstream and even then it’s an incredibly small amount. Completely different than PFAS where you’re getting double dipped on toxic chemicals: those dumped by the chemical companies into nature and those that offgas into your home.
I've seen multiple people recommending to test the lead levels of any cast iron pots you buy secondhand, since apparently a common use for them is melting down scrap lead to make your own bullets and family members sell them off after their owner dies without knowing they'll now poison anyone who cooks with them.
Yeah that’s good to do, but the link I provided was testing brand new pans. Turns out metal doesn’t just come out of the ground as one big blob, but mixed together with lots of other metals that are hard to separate! 🤷
But yeah good to check.
I think they just meant "chemicals" in the sense of "chemical element", as in "to last forever, it must be made of something that lasts forever, and everything is made from chemical elements, so this must contain 'forever chemicals'". It was just a joke... And the PFAS statement that followed made it pretty clear that they know what they were talking about.
yeaa, okay that makes sense
Well but that seasoning is also random collection of polymers, probably not very healthty either when dissolved in a tomato sauce
it's just an oil? like rapeseed oil is what I used -- like you make it yourself you know 😁
Yeah start out as oil but with temperature end up a bioplastic
That's like saying wine is just grapes. Cast iron seasoning is a highly temperature resistant biopolymer made by burning thin layers of oil onto cast iron (or carbon steel). There's no evidence it's harmful to ingest or that it offgasses at cooking temperatures, but it is a polymer. If it was still oil it would still be liquid.
Once again, no evidence it's harmful and if I had to bet on the health and safety of popular cooking surfaces it would only be beat by glass because that shit is stupid inert without flaking. Then cast iron and carbon steel (same seasoning). Then stainless in the middle (I'm not certain I trust all the metals to make it stainless. And Teflon and copper vying for last place as known to contain risks to health if misused.
Holy crap, people really don't get your joke it seems. Guess my upvote can only give so much relief, but I thought it was funny if that helps.
How do they last forever without forever chemicals, eh?
Btw. wrought iron pans are much nicer for everyday use.