Read the full article by Marina Schauffler (The Maine Monitor)

“Limiting new sources of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can gradually lower your accumulated chemical load, aptly known as your body burden. PFAS compounds can linger in bodies for decades, with concentrations in blood plasma taking up to eight years to decline by half. Growing scientific evidence suggests that even low levels of PFAS can disrupt hormonal, immune and reproductive systems, and can increase the risk of various cancers. 

To help reduce your PFAS body burden, here are some actions you can take:

Water

If you drink well water, check Maine’s sludge and septage permit map to see if your property is near a historic application site. Water testing information can be found on the DEP website. State-accredited tests are expensive (and those are the only ones that the state will reimburse if you’re in a high-risk area), but if you simply want a preliminary sense of your exposure risk, there is a more affordable screening test that performed well in a side-by-side comparison with accredited tests. 

If your public water supply contains PFAS (all water districts must report this information to the state by the end of 2022), consider water filter options such as activated carbon or reverse osmosis. Searching the NSF database for “PFOA reduction” will help you identify filters that address PFAS. The Environmental Working Group also has a water filter guide.

If you purchase bottled water, check directly with the company to see if it has results from PFAS testing. As of late August, according to the Bangor Daily News, many Maine bottled water companies were not testing for PFAS. 

Food

Avoid non-stick (“Teflon”) cookware. Instead, use seasoned cast-iron, glass, enamel or stainless steel. 

Avoid food packaging that can contain PFAS such as microwavable popcorn bags, fast food packaging, takeout containers and coated pizza boxes. 

Follow Maine’s fish consumption advisories and try to avoid buying fish harvested in highly contaminated areas. 

Follow deer consumption advisories for PFAS.

Certified organic farms are not allowed to spread sludge, but sludge spreading under prior ownership or spreading on neighboring lands may still affect organically grown products. Ask food producers whether they’ve tested for PFAS.” …