4 Changes Toxicity Experts Want You To Make In Your Kitchen

There's lots of talk about switching over to nontoxic pans these days, and while the experts agreed that it's important, they add that the way you care for your cookware is even more essential.

Caroline Blazovsky, the founder of My Healthy Home, says it's her "biggest pet peeve" when people shell out for new pans but continue to clean them with dish soap laden with chemicals that will eventually make their way into food.

This is common, seeing as a whopping 56.3% of dish soaps tested by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) scored a D or F safety rating. (They contain ingredients that either haven't been tested for safety or have been associated with respiratory irritation, skin allergies, or other toxicity concerns.)

When heated, gas can release small particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde into the air. If left to build up, these pollutants can reach levels that exceed EPA air safety standards1 and could pose health risks.

According to one toxicity model out of California, "During a typical winter week, 1.7 million Californians could be exposed to CO₂ levels that exceed standards for ambient air, and 12 million could be exposed to excessive NO₂ levels if they do not use venting range hoods during cooking."

For this reason, Blazovsky and building biologist and environmental consultant Ryan Blaser say it's imperative to always, always, always use an exhaust fan when you cook. Blaser says that you can easily tell if yours is running properly by cooking up some bacon, fish, or anything else particularly fragrant, and turning the fan on. "If you can smell bacon across the room or in another room, the fan's not doing its job."

Tap water is another potential source of pollutants in the kitchen, and Blazovsky recommends getting yours frequently tested if you can swing it. "If you're using water from your tap to eat and drink, you need to have it tested every three years because it changes," she tells mbg.