Wow, that is so worrying to hear that the fumes can kill pet birds. I'd already read of the dangers of non-stick pans but hadn't realised the steps to take to help reduce the effects.

We HAD birds...
When I was younger and our gas was shut off we would heat water up to wash up. One morning before school I proceeded to heat some water up in a large teflon stock pot. I fell asleep... well you can guess all the water evaporated and the the teflon scorched. I had no idea that it released fumes into the air that could kill birds. When I got home from school I saw that the bird cage was outside and empty. I asked my Mom what happened and she said the birds had died. It was last year when I started my new "green" lifestyle that I finally figured it out. I saw it on Women and The Environments web site.

I tried a couple of the new pans because my hubby likes to cook using non-stick pans. Unfortunately, the ones I tried aren't really non-stick, so they are messy to wash. They were a waste of money.

I like my cast iron frying pan and even passed up the chance to get a range with a fashionable smooth cooktop because those are easily ruined by cast iron pans.

I admit, I use non-stick pans most of the time, specially when making a pancake so I thank you for the tips you have shared us, Its very informative. I never know that overheated pan can kill a bird, I could have killed a bird without even knowing.

Because there's so much misinformation out there about Teflon, I'm not surprised that you are concerned. I'm a representative of DuPont though, and hope you'll let me share some information with you and your readers, so that everyone can make truly informed decisions.

Because birds have extremely sensitive respiratory systems, bird owners must take precautions to protect them. Cooking fumes, smoke and odors that have little or no effect on people can seriously sicken and even kill birds, often quite quickly. Cooking fumes from any type of unattended or overheated cookware, not just non-stick, can damage a bird's lungs with alarming speed. This is why bird owners should take steps to protect their pets, such as keeping their birds out of the kitchen, never leaving cookware unattended, never allowing pots and pans to overheat, and making sure that their kitchen is properly ventilated at all times.

In terms of Polymer Fume Fever... Over the past 40 years, there have been only a few reported accounts of polymer fume fever as a result of severely overheating non-stick cookware. It should be noted that butter, fats, and cooking oils will begin to smoke at approximately 400°F (204°C), producing fumes that can irritate eyes, nose, and throat and possibly cause respiratory distress. DuPont non-stick coatings will not begin to deteriorate in appearance or performance until the temperature of the cookware reaches about 500°F

Regulatory agencies, consumer groups and health associations all have taken a close look at Teflon. This article highlights what they found -- the bottom line is that you can use Teflon without worry.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/kitchen/cookware-bakeware-cutlery/nonstick-pans-6-07/overview/0607_pans_ov_1.htm

Ross4Teflon, Thanks for taking the time to weigh in and add to this conversation. But, we have to respectfully disagree with the points you make to defend Teflon because, well, we know otherwise - from our own tests and research. In short:

Burning butter may be bad, but it doesn't kill birds or harm people's health.  20,000 pet birds a year die each year from teflon fumes, not a  single one from overheated olive oil.  

For the full monty on why EWG confidently recommends that people avoid non-stick cookware, which includes Teflon, please see our longstanding research and testing on the material here: http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon.

You said we should skip using the self-cleaning feature of our ovens. What is the easiest, non-toxic way to clean an oven? Thanks.

I was wondering if there was any information on non-stick ceramic? Apparently it's PFDA and PFTE free. Any information will be helpful. Thanks.

I am wondering about boiling water for baby formula...what kind of pot would be safe to use.