Manufacturers of these pans, however, stand by their products. In a statement to WaPo, Teflon trademark-owner Chemours pointed to research validating the safety of materials in its nonstick coatings.

According to a recent study, black plastic utensils can contain carcinogenic flame retardants, while nonstick cookware is often coated with Teflon (also known as PTFE), which can make people sick ...