Read the full article by Lori Valigra (Bangor Daily News)
“Shampoo, dog treat packaging, cosmetics, pesticides, school supplies and swimsuits are among the nearly 1,000 brand-name products sold in Maine that contain so-called PFAS ‘forever chemicals,’ according to an analysis of early industry reports made public for the first time today that show the prevalence of the chemicals.
‘We suspected that PFAS use was widespread, and that was confirmed by these reports,’ Mike Belliveau, president of the Portland-based nonprofit Defend Our Health, said. ‘What is alarming is that a lot of these products that contain PFAS will directly expose consumers in their homes and get washed down the drain, contaminating wastewater, or get tossed in the trash and leak out of landfills.’
The group of man-made chemicals has been linked to a range of harmful health effects when consumed.
Sixty national companies submitted information on PFAS chemicals contained in their products sold in the state to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection before the Maine Legislature extended the reporting deadline until Jan. 1, 2025. Maine had a first-in-the-nation law to require companies to report PFAS.” …