forever chemicals

[squigglefunk]

how do we feel about PTFE's being a contributor to one of the worlds worst polluters in history? Makes me want to use flour paste forever.

[Salt Must Flow]

I've never heard that, but I know silicone messed up a lot of titties.

[Deplorable]

I don't know about everyone else, but since you asked, I think there are a lot bigger things to worry about PTFEs impact on the planet.
The dozen PTFE gaskets I have in my kit will last a lifetime or longer of distilling at which time they can be recycled into new products.

[Ben]

PTFE is in so many things. Old school Nalgene bottles, medical equipment, nonstick pans, industrial sealants, thread sealants, automotive components. It's everywhere. Cutting it out of your distillery would be a tiny step in a huge plan if you are trying to get it out of your life.

[squigglefunk]

it is in everything, even rainwater is now considered undrinkable because of it. I'm not saying distilling is responsible, or anything, it just depresses me that our species poisons the entire planet to enrich a tiny fraction at the cost of every living creature's health. But hey your eggs will slide right out of the pan!

[Ben]

I don't think the application of non-stick to cookware and creation of unbreakable non-reactive lab storage ware was nefarious... I doubt the inventor sat on his porch in 1938 and said man, I am going to poison the earth, and everything in it. I hope they thought hey, I can use this to improve peoples lives.

Sometimes things have unintended consequences, and sometimes it takes a full 84 years for us to realize there was a fuck up.

[Yummyrum]

I’ve lost count of how many non-stick pans and skillets we have gone though .

A family friend said recently .
“ a Non-stick pan gets worse from the day you buy it , whereas , a cast iron pan only gets better”

Having said that , we are slowly replacing all our pans with Cast iron . My mrs still has the one she had when I met her thirty years ago . I’ve had to tighten the handle a few times in that time .

World waste is getting me down .

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I’ve lost count of how many non-stick pans and skillets we have gone though .

A family friend said recently .
“ a Non-stick pan gets worse from the day you buy it , whereas , a cast iron pan only gets better”

Having said that , we are slowly replacing all our pans with Cast iron . My mrs still has the one she had when I met her thirty years ago . I’ve had to tighten the handle a few times in that time .

World waste is getting me down .

Not even a third of my collection. Booted non sick from my life a while ago. Only other pan is a copper bottom stainless steel pan. Enameled cast iron dutch ovens. That's it.

.

[Deplorable]

I’ve lost count of how many non-stick pans and skillets we have gone though .

A family friend said recently .
“ a Non-stick pan gets worse from the day you buy it , whereas , a cast iron pan only gets better”

Having said that , we are slowly replacing all our pans with Cast iron . My mrs still has the one she had when I met her thirty years ago . I’ve had to tighten the handle a few times in that time .

World waste is getting me down .

Not even a third of my collection. Booted non sick from my life a while ago. Only other pan is a copper bottom stainless steel pan. Enameled cart iron dutch ovens. That's it.

.
Cast Iron.jpg

It took me about 10 years, but I finally convinced my wife that my cast iron frying pan and carbon steel skillets are just as good as any plastic coated pan. Once I bought her a good carbon steel skillet and seasoned it, and she started to see how easily they are to care for and how light they are compared to cast iron she began to see the advantages.
Cookware is something that everyone needs, and is truly a "buy once, cry once" purchase.

Shine, no carbon steel?
We call our enameled Dutch oven "the Magic Pot". soups, casseroles, bread, roasts, birds, no matter what you put in cooks perfectly.

[squigglefunk]

I don't think the application of non-stick to cookware and creation of unbreakable non-reactive lab storage ware was nefarious... I doubt the inventor sat on his porch in 1938 and said man, I am going to poison the earth, and everything in it. I hope they thought hey, I can use this to improve peoples lives.

Sometimes things have unintended consequences, and sometimes it takes a full 84 years for us to realize there was a fuck up.

it was "invented" by accident, the guy was not looking to improve peoples lives - he was a chemist doing his job trying to copy a patented refrigerant.

dupont knew it was poisonous and dumped it into waterways, you don't want to cut into profits with expensive disposal methods.

more like 84 years of intentional greed... and still going

teflon was originally used for the military industrial complex (the nuclear bomb was one application) and then found its way into commercial applications.

[Ben]

That's a hard way to look at the world. Must weigh heavy.

[squigglefunk]

yeap, reality sucks, no wonder there's whole forums dedicated to making your own booze to forget about it. lol

[Stonecutter]

I side with Squigglefunk. However, we’re nothing more than an insignificant itch on the face of our Multi Billion year old Mother. We have the chutzpah to believe/pretend that after 14,000 years of scratching around in the dirt with but a few hundred years of frivolous technology we can predict what is good or right for this planet. The Earth will be just fine. It’s our species that’s in danger. George Carlin said it best, “you want to save the planet? Kill yourself”.

[Deplorable]

There is nothing on this planet, natural or otherwise that wasn't here before man. It's not like we created shit from nothing or imported shit from another planet. From earth, back to earth... Sometimes the cycle takes longer, especially where mankind dicked around trying to make something "better for the earth".

BTW, if you still use Styrofoam packing peanuts, nobody likes you

[JLP IV]

There is hope on the horizon though. Please google forever chemicals broken down for some very recent discoveries.

[The Baker]

I am sure there is an ice age coming.
I am equally sure I will not see it.

Geoff

[OtisT]

There is hope on the horizon though. Please google forever chemicals broken down for some very recent discoveries.

+1. I just read an article in Popular Mechanics on a study that demonstrated a promising cheep/easy way to break down some types of forever chemicals. PTFE was one of the two types that could be broken down with a little lye and water at a reasonable temperature.

We can use PTFE without guilt. Otis.

[BoilerMaker]

Yup. Boil your PTFE gaskets in some DMSO and NaOH and it will turn into toothpaste....

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm8868

[Dancing4dan]

One more ingredient and cheese wiz turns to plastic!

Forever!

[Yonder]

Well, in the grand scheme of things, I’ll stop using my few ounces of ptfe when china stops burning 200 million kilos of coal each year. Or when 42 percent of the world’s population stops cutting down forests for cooking and heating. Perspective is everything.

[Renhoekk]

I've never heard that, but I know silicone messed up a lot of titties.

Lol…times like these, I wish these old school forums had upvote buttons

[squigglefunk]

silly cones oh man I never squeezed one, just the all natural biguns ( @ Y @ )

i mean flour paste seals are probably toxic too somehow right? I could really go that way no problem... can you just stick a little flour donut between the two ferrules and triclamp it down?
make a biiiig ole flour donut for the pot lid....
some searching shall commence

good news about the forever chemical breakdown ... I mean science will always fix science...

[The Baker]

Can't imagine flour paste seals being toxic.
It's only bread.
And it works fine as a soft dough.
A bit of salt to develop the gluten and make it stronger and a bit of olive oil to make it softer...

Geoff

[squigglefunk]

mm sounds delicious I am ready to get the still fired up

[GrumbleStill]

Can't imagine flour paste seals being toxic.
It's only bread.
And it works fine as a soft dough.
A bit of salt to develop the gluten and make it stronger and a bit of olive oil to make it softer...

Geoff

Hmmm….I remember that recipe from when the kids were little, so it’s out with the ptfe and in with with Play Doh

[The Baker]

Just use the amount of salt for normal bread, find it in any recipe, on the web or wherever.
DON'T use the huge amount in playdoh type recipes!

Geoff

[Yummyrum]

New South Wales Gov here have enforced a ban on all single use plastic items from 1st November.
Things like drinking straws , knifes, fork spoon , styrofoam cups, cotton tips etc are all to contraband .
https://www.nsw.gov.au/news/single-use- ... er-new-law

[Dancing4dan]

Flour paste seals have been scoffed at on this site. By people who have not tried it I assume. Because it was used on “Moonshiners “ it is assumed to be a poor choice.

Whole wheat flour with enough water to make a thick dough. It only bakes hard on the outside of the still. Inside the still and on the sealing surface it swells and turns to a jell that resembles partially set silicone. Flour seals stay pliable and work well. After a run it is a PITA to clean. That is the only disadvantage when flour is used.

[The Baker]

I have never had much difficulty removing it...

Geoff

[Yonder]

Flour paste seals have been scoffed at on this site. By people who have not tried it I assume. Because it was used on “Moonshiners “ it is assumed to be a poor choice.

Whole wheat flour with enough water to make a thick dough. It only bakes hard on the outside of the still. Inside the still and on the sealing surface it swells and turns to a jell that resembles partially set silicone. Flour seals stay pliable and work well. After a run it is a PITA to clean. That is the only disadvantage when flour is used.

My preferred was about 3/4 cup of rye flour and 2/3 cup of water. Nice paste to work with, sticky as hell, and smells great. Let yer pipes get warm, roll it like a fat string, and slap it on.