U.S. Companies Replace Teflon Toxin With Chemical Cousin. Is It Safe?

Credit: Emily Corwin for NHPR

By Emily Corwin, New Hampshire Public Radio

A new kind of water contamination has shown up all over the US, including New England. This time it’s not lead, like in the Flint, Michigan water system, but instead it’s a chemical used to manufacture Teflon pans, firefighting foam, even microwave popcorn bags. It’s forced some communities to hand out bottled water and shut down their water systems.

Although companies have stopped using this chemical because of health worries, a new replacement compound may be toxic, too.