From The Campus To The Community: My wok may have cooked more than dinner-A PFAS Story

By Shane Kornberg | Dalton Daily Citizen | November 10, 2025

Read the full article by Shane Kornberg (Dalton Daily Citizen)

"When I was a kid, I remember Mom bringing home a wok, probably in the late seventies or early eighties. We were thrilled, convinced that this single pan would transform our homemade Chinese food. Apparently, all we’d been missing was a wok.

That pan had the slickest non-stick coating I’d ever seen and using it was like magic, especially when it came time to wash it. Years later, when I moved into my first college apartment, Mom sent the wok with me. Now, at nearly 50, I hate to admit I still have it. Over the years, I’ve heard countless warnings about the health risks of non-stick cookware, but whenever chicken teriyaki was on the menu, we reached for the wok.

Eventually, the growing concerns about PFAS made us retire it for good. Still, I can’t help but wonder, did all those years of using that wok quietly shape my health in ways I’ll never know?"