Read the full article by News Center Maine
“PORTLAND, Maine — The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory Thursday warning about potential toxins in freshwater fish at several locations in the state.
The advisory targets seven bodies of water in the state where fish that have been tested revealed levels of PFAS chemicals above the recently updated recommended levels for regular consumption, Maine CDC spokesperson Robert Long said in the news release.
Additional bodies of water are under review, according to the Maine CDC.
PFAS chemicals, or ‘forever chemicals,’ are long-lasting and break down extremely slowly over time, according to an explainer from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They can be found in water, air, fish, and soil. Identification of PFAS has been on the rise as detection technologies and funding for testing have been developing, the EPA states, and mitigation and removal strategies are largely nonexistent.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention, PFAS chemicals were widely used in household and industrial settings for designated purposes, including ‘products that resist heat, oil, grease, and water.’
Concerns about health effects of exposure to PFAS chemicals include but are not limited to decreased fertility, a low-functioning immune response, physical impacts on child development, some cancers, and hormone interference, according to the Maine CDC.”…