Check your local options for recycling, many places will take pots and pans even with teflon coating as part of regular recycling. If the pans are from a major brand, look them up and see if they take them back for recycling. Take it to a local scrap yard to be recycled with other metals.
We advise replacing your nonstick pans whenever the coating starts to degrade or is scratched—or about every three to five years.
Keep old pots and pans out of landfills by dropping them off at thrift shops. You can drop-off unwanted cookware to any of these nonprofits: Goodwill, The Salvation Army, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Vietnam Veterans of America and PlanetAid.
If they're nonstick, you should throw them away. When nonstick coating is scratched it can allow some of the toxic chemicals that are in the coating to leach into food over time.
The coating needs to be removed before the pan can be recycled. Once you've found a scrap metal recycling near you, call them to ask if they accept Teflon-coated pans.
They are also made through a different process than other metals, making them very difficult to recycle. The best option for old pots and pans is to donate them. If they are unusable, they can also be brought to a local scrap metal recycling facility. Old pots make for great outdoor planters.
In general, you want to replace nonstick pans after five years. But you need to be particularly careful with nonstick cookware produced before 2015, as it may contain PFOA. If your cookware dates back to 2015 and earlier, it's likely time to replace it even if it doesn't contain PFOAs.
No. While they don't necessarily present a safety concern, you still shouldn't hold onto your scratched nonstick pans. If the scratches are fresh, you may end up with flakes of the coating in your food—which we can all agree is not delicious. It can also impact how effective your pan's nonstick abilities are.
Participation in Calphalon® Cooking Tools Recycling Program is simple: sign up on the TerraCycle program page www.terracycle.com/calphalon and mail in old cookware, bakeware and cutlery using a prepaid shipping label. When shipping knives, keep them separate and secured.
Flaking or peeling: If you see the nonstick surface peeling off or flaking into your food, it's time for a new pan. The coating is breaking down and can end up in your meals. Loss of nonstick performance: If foods, especially eggs, start to stick when they are never used to it, the nonstick finish is wearing thin.
To recycle pots and pans, first check if your local recycling center accepts metal cookware. For nonstick pans or mixed materials, use specialty services like mail-back programs. Donate usable items or upcycle creatively.
Many items such as cookware, glasses and vases can be taken to charity for reuse if in good condition. Otherwise, please dispose of in the appropriate container at your nearest recycling centre.. These types can't be recycled so please put them in your black bin.
A good rule of thumb is to replace them approximately every five years. Look at your pans frequently. When they start to appear warped, discolored or scratched, be sure to stop using them.
A: Calphalon stopped manufacturing our nonstick using PFOA back in the third quarter of 2012. We have then since moved to a formula that is completely FDA approved.
NEVER use a product when the interior enamel has chipped. It is no longer safe to use and you should immediately CEASE USING the product. Chips from damaged enamel could cause personal injury if ingested.
The anodization makes the aluminum non-reactive, keeping your meals safe. If the surface sustains damage or gets scratched, it can expose the aluminum core, which has reactive properties with certain foods.
Redundant cookware can be donated to a charity or re-use shop provided it is in a good condition. Cookware which is damaged or worn out should be disposed of as general waste. The metal used for making pans is usually a mix of more than 1 material and often covered with a (Teflon) non-stick layer.
Peeling, Flaking, and Chipping
A non stick coating that's peeling, chipped, flaking, or otherwise damaged is a sure sign that your pan should be replaced.
This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear; non-stick coating loss or non-stick coating performance loss after use, whether as a result of normal wear and tear or misuse and abuse; cosmetic damage which does not impair the functionality of the product, including scratches, dents, dings, scuffs, stains, ...
If your pan has lost all non stick abilities, is warped, or if the coating is peeling, chipping, burnt, or deeply scratched, then it's likely time to replace the pan.
Multiple studies found that the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (or PFAS) used in older nonstick pans had links to cancer.
Acidic foods like tomatoes can break down the protective coating of your nonstick pan, so recipes like tomato sauce should be made in a different type of skillet. Also, avoid foods with citrus or wine.
Check your local options for recycling, many places will take pots and pans even with teflon coating as part of regular recycling. If the pans are from a major brand, look them up and see if they take them back for recycling. Take it to a local scrap yard to be recycled with other metals.
Not all non stick pans are created equal, so they can range in length of life. While most non stick pans last an average of two to three years, pans of a poorer quality may yield fewer uses before the non stick coating wears off. Alternately, higher quality pans may last longer than three years with the right care.
If you've tried both methods of cleaning and the burnt food or residue still remains stuck to the surface of your pan, it may be time to replace it. Once the non stick coating of the pan has started to break down, it will only continue to do so, making it easier and easier for food to stick to its surface.