BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 14, 2022
Homeowners, water district operators and plumbers frequently wrap water pipes with Teflon plumber’s tape, which fills the spaces between interlocking pipe threads to seal the pipes and prevent leaks. But the tape is made with a likely carcinogen called perfluorooctanoic acid, more commonly called PFOA, which is a type of “forever chemical” that has contaminated community water supplies and private wells across Maine and the country. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Drinking Water Program acknowledges that Teflon sealants, tapes or tubing might contaminate water. It warns water systems not to test for PFAS at locations with pumps or tubing that contain Teflon, to avoid getting a cross-contaminated sample.