#pfascontamination — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #pfascontamination, aggregated by home.social.
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Personally, I think #PFASManufacturers should pay the bill for replacement equipment! #MakePollutersPay !
#EastMillinocketME #FireDepartment becomes first in #Maine to fully adopt #PFASFree turnout gear
A $90,000 grant helped the department purchase the new equipment without burdening taxpayers.
by Ryan Bell
August 17, 2026"Fire Chief Kevin McAdam said upgrading the department's suits, some of which are more than two decades old, would have been difficult without outside funding, especially for a small, rural department with limited resources. The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing turnout gear every 10 years, but McAdam said many departments keep equipment well beyond that timeline because of the cost.
" 'Our main concern is the safety of our firefighters,' McAdam said. 'If the gear we purchased doesn't have PFAS in it to begin with, that's one less piece of the puzzle we have to worry about as far as cancer with the firefighters.'
"East Millinocket purchased the new gear from manufacturer Milliken. Company officials said PFAS-based materials were long considered the industry standard because of their performance, but growing concerns over firefighters' long-term health prompted the company to develop a PFAS-free alternative that still meets safety standards.
" 'We have to bring new technologies and technologies that push harder towards protection and comfort,' Marcio Manique, an executive at Milliken, said.
Firefighters who have tested out the new gear said it is lighter, more flexible and easier to move in than the department's previous equipment. The new equipment has already been used during training exercises, but firefighters are still awaiting their first emergency call wearing the equipment."
#PFAS #ForeverChemicals #Pollution #Cancer #Maine #PFASContamination #Firefighters #DuPontLied #DuPontKnew #DupontdeNemours #BigChem #Dow #3M
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Meanwhile, in #CamdenME...
#Midcoast town sues manufacturers over #PFASContamination in #wastewater
by AnnMarie Hilton
January 22, 2026https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midcoast-town-sues-manufacturers-over-210937794.html
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Meanwhile, in #CamdenME...
#Midcoast town sues manufacturers over #PFASContamination in #wastewater
by AnnMarie Hilton
January 22, 2026https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midcoast-town-sues-manufacturers-over-210937794.html
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Meanwhile, in #CamdenME...
#Midcoast town sues manufacturers over #PFASContamination in #wastewater
by AnnMarie Hilton
January 22, 2026https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midcoast-town-sues-manufacturers-over-210937794.html
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Meanwhile, in #CamdenME...
#Midcoast town sues manufacturers over #PFASContamination in #wastewater
by AnnMarie Hilton
January 22, 2026https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midcoast-town-sues-manufacturers-over-210937794.html
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Meanwhile, in #CamdenME...
#Midcoast town sues manufacturers over #PFASContamination in #wastewater
by AnnMarie Hilton
January 22, 2026https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midcoast-town-sues-manufacturers-over-210937794.html
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"Advocates began sounding the alarm over PFAS in pesticides in 2023. The #Biden EPA attempted to discredit the author of one study that identified PFAS in pesticides, and the agency appeared to have lied about whether some of the chemicals are in pesticides. Under Donald #Trump, the EPA has increased the number of PFAS proposed for use in pesticides."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/18/california-pfas-forever-chemicals
#USPol #EPAFail #ForeverChemicals #DowChemicalKnew
#3MKnew #BigAg #RoundupReady #Glyphosate #Bees #Extinction #Hubris #WaterIsLife #PFASContamination #EnvironmentalDamage #EPACuts #Pollution #PFOS #PFASPollution #PFASContamnation #ManMadeDisasters #3M #3MLied #GenXChemicals
#PFNA #PFHxS -
HT @ai6yr
#California farms applied millions of pounds of #PFAS to key crops, study finds‘#ForeverChemicals’ sprayed on #almonds, #grapes, #tomatoes and other crops as activists warn of ‘obvious problem’
by Tom Perkins
Tue 18 Nov 2025 07.00 ESTExcerpt: "California farms applied an average of 2.5m lbs of PFAS “forever chemicals” per year on cropland from 2018 to 2023, or a total of about 15m lbs, a new review of state records shows.
The chemicals are added to pesticides that are sprayed on crops such as almonds, pistachios, #wine grapes, #alfalfa and tomatoes, the review of California Department of Pesticide Regulation data found. The Environmental Working Group nonprofit put together the report.
The risk for uptake of PFAS is likely higher in water-rich fruits and vegetables, because water attracts the chemicals, and research has shown PFAS may concentrate at dangerous levels in some produce. The chemicals also pollute water supplies and present a higher risk to the often low income and Latino #farmworkers."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/18/california-pfas-forever-chemicals#ForeverChemicals #DowChemicalKnew
#3MKnew #BigAg #RoundupReady #Glyphosate #Bees #Extinction #Hubris #WaterIsLife #PFASContamination #EnvironmentalDamage #EPACuts #Pollution #PFOS #PFASPollution #PFASContamnation #ManMadeDisasters #3M #3MLied #GenXChemicals
#PFNA #PFHxS -
#Sweden - Removal of #PFAS from water by #AquaticPlants
Maria Greger, Tommy Landberg
February, 2024Highlights
• High total biomass is important plant trait for high PFAS accumulation from water.
• Higher PFAS accumulation in shoot than roots with time.
• Degradation of PFAS with root peroxidases and laccases.Abstract:
"We have found that aquatic plants can reduce the content of perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) within a short period of time. The aim of this study was to determine the variation in the uptake of PFAS from contaminated water by various #wetland plant species, investigate the effect of #biomass on PFAS removal, and determine whether laccases and peroxidases are involved in the removal and degradation of PFAS. Seventeen emergent and one submerged wetland plant species were screened for PFAS uptake from highly contaminated lake water. The screening showed that #EriophorumAngustifolium, #CarexRostrata, and #ElodeaCanadensis accumulated the highest levels of all PFAS. These species were thereafter used to investigate the effect of biomass on PFAS removal from water and for the enzyme studies. The results showed that the greater the biomass per volume, the greater the PFAS removal effect. The plant-based removal of PFAS from water is mainly due to plant absorption, although degradation also occurs. In the beginning, most of the PFAS accumulated in the roots; over time, more was translocated to the shoots, resulting in a higher concentration in the shoots than in the roots. Most PFAS degradation occurred in the water; the metabolites were thereafter taken up by the plants and were accumulated in the roots and shoots. Both peroxidases and laccases were able to degrade PFAS. We conclude that wetland plants can be used for the purification of PFAS-contaminated water. For effective purification, a high biomass per volume of water is required."
Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030147972302683X#SolarPunkSunday #PFAScontamination #ForeverChemicals #PollutionSolutions #WaterIsLife #PFASPollution #Remediation #PFASRemoval #PFASRemediation
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#MaineCDC recommends limiting fish consumption from 4 new bodies of water due to #PFAS contamination
Maine Public | By Nora Saks
Published June 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM EDT"The Maine Center for Disease Control is recommending that people limit consuming fish from four new bodies of water due to #PFASContamination.
"The new advisories apply to game fish caught in #LovejoyPond in #AlbionME, the #SebasticookRiver in #BurnhamME and #BentonCollyerBrook in #GrayME, and #AndroscogginLake in #LeedsME and #WayneME.
"The Maine CDC issued the new guidelines after elevated levels of PFAS, the group of man-made #ForeverChemicals, were detected in fish tissue sampled by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection last year.
"In the recommendations updated last week, the Maine CDC also expanded its advisories on #AnnabessacookLake in #MonmouthME and #WinthropME, and #MessalonskeeStream in #OaklandME and #WatervilleME.
"These additions bring the total number of rivers, lakes and streams that have game fish contaminated with unsafe levels of PFAS to 25.
"For more details on the consumption limits on numbers and species of freshwater fish in each waterbody, check out the Maine CDC website."
Maine CDC website:
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/eohp/fish/#EPACuts #WaterIsLife #Maine #Pollution #PFAS #PFOS #ForeverChemicals #EnvironmentalDamage #Wildlife #PFASPollution #PFASContamnation #ManMadeDisasters #3M #3MLied #Scotchgard #Scotchban #BASF #Teflon #GenXChemicals #PFNA #PFHxS #Lubricants #Cosmetics #PFB #FireFightingFoam #DowChemical
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#Maine lawmakers introduce bill to create response program for #PFAS threats
February 6, 2025
AUGUSTA (WGME) – "State lawmakers have introduced a bill to create a response program to clean up and reduce threats created by dangerous chemicals known as PFAS.
"This comes months after toxic and potentially #cancer-causing #FirefightingFoam was accidentally sprayed at a former air base in #BrunswickMaine.
"While this bill would monitor PFAS levels, one Brunswick lawmaker says she and others are working on additional bills related to the fallout from that spill.
"'And we’re continuing to advocate for funding, whether it’s through the state budget or leaning on our federal partners, since that substance was put in by the Navy,' Sen. Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) said. 'Because one thing I stand firm to is my constituents, myself, my neighbors, the taxpayers of Brunswick and Maine should not be on the hook for a disaster they did not cause.'
"This bill would allow the state to buy, sell or transfer property contaminated by PFAS and deposit the proceeds into a fund to deal with contamination."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/maine-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-create-response-program-for-pfas-threats/ar-AA1yz81L
#WaterIsLife #CascoBay
#PFASContamination #EnvironmentalDamage
#ManMadeDisasters #AFFF
#PicnicPond #Site8Stream
#MereBrook #MerriconeagStream
#HarpswellCove #Wildlife #OceansAreLife #PFASPollution #BrunswickNavalAirStation
#BrunswickStation #Maine #AndroscogginRiver -
High levels of #ToxicChemicals found in #BrunswickMaine airport hangar #sewers
#CitizenPFAS monitoring revealed concerning levels of toxic chemicals in the sewer outfall of #Hangar6 in Brunswick, though a company hired to assess risk at the hangar said there is no leak of the toxic firefighting foams on the premises.
by Kristian Moravec, The Times Record
Posted February 4, 2025, Updated February 5"A citizens group’s testing revealed that sewer water flowing from Hangar 6 at Brunswick’s airport has high levels of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS.
"#FriendsOfMerrymeetingBay conducted testing on Nov. 26. The tests detected high levels of a particularly toxic #PFAS chemical compound known as #PFOS. The update comes the same day the owner of the hangar, the #MidcoastRegionalRedevelopmentAuthority, sent a letter to the town stating that tanks that stored the chemicals were not leaking."PFOS is a compound known to be harmful to human health and is found in high levels in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Brunswick Executive Airport’s Hangar 4, which is owned by the Navy but operated by MRRA, dumped 1,450 gallons of AFFF concentrate mixed with 50,000 gallons of water on Aug. 19, 2024.
"The spill prompted ongoing cleanup and monitoring efforts as well as a push to get rid of the foam at the airport. Concern has grown around Hangar 6, which some have speculated is leaking harmful chemicals based on the testing data around the airport that Friends of Merrymeeting Bay has collected over the years. The sewage that flows out of Hangar 6, which is not treated for PFAS, ultimately flows into the #AndroscogginRiver."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/04/high-levels-of-toxic-chemicals-found-in-brunswick-airport-hangar-sewers/Archived version:
https://archive.md/LlHx1#CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #CascoBay #PFASContamination #BrunswickMaine #EnvironmentalDamage #ManMadeDisasters #WaterIsLife #PFAS #AndroscogginRiver #PFASContamination #AFFF #PFOS #PicnicPond #Site8Stream #MereBrook #MerriconeagStream #CascoBay #HarpswellCove #Wildlife #OceansAreLife #PFASPollution #BrunswickNavalAirStation #BrunswickStation #Maine #FirefightingFoam #OceansAreLife
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So, when I see catastrophic events like the #BESSFires or widespread #PFASContamination in #BrunswickMaine, the first thing I think of is, "Where are the wildlife going to hide? How is this event going to affect them and the nearby #ecosystems?"
"The #ElkhornSlough Reserve is closed until further notice due to potential health risks from a fire at the #MossLanding Battery Storage Plant that started on January 16.
"The area has been evacuated and will remain closed until emergency services determines that air quality is no longer hazardous.
"Elkhorn Slough is a cherished #ecosystem of tremendous importance to #MontereyBay and beyond. We appreciate all the efforts of local, county, and state authorities and emergency response teams, as well as the outpouring of concern from the community regarding health impacts for people and #wildlife in the area.
"We have not yet seen reports of any documented negative environmental impacts from this incident, but it is too early to know. The Elkhorn Slough Reserve conducts robust monitoring programs for water quality, habitats, and wildlife. We will be looking closely at impacts from this incident in the future, and will collaborate with partner agencies in their monitoring efforts."
https://elkhornslough.org/moss-landing-fire-incident-january-2025/
#EnvironmentalDamage #ManMadeDisasters -
Midcoast [#Maine] Regional Redevelopment Authority executive director steps down after [toxic firefighting] foam spill
Story by WGME Staff
October 10, 2024BRUNSWICK (WGME) -- "The executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority is stepping down.
"The #MRRA Board of Trustees says #KristineLogan has resigned.
"Last month, a group of Brunswick leaders and legislators called for Logan's resignation after hundreds of gallons of toxic #firefighting foam spilled in August, more than a year after a report warned that the system was 'deficient.'
"The #BrunswickMaine leaders say they want the group to have increased oversight and accountability."
#WaterIsLife #PFAS #AndroscogginRiver #PFASContamination #AFFF #PFOS #PicnicPond #Site8Stream #MereBrook #MerriconeagStream
#CascoBay #HarpswellCove
#Wildlife #OceansAreLife
#PFASPollution #BrunswickNavalAirStation #BrunswickStation #Maine -
TONIGHT! (Thursday, August 29th)
Fighting the foam in #BrunswickMaine: Public forum being held to discuss the spill
Story by Aysia Reed, WGME
"It's been 10 days since toxic firefighting foam spilled in Brunswick. The public will now get to have their say on the release and the cleanup efforts so far.
"The town of Brunswick is holding a public forum at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday in the Council Chamber at Brunswick Town Hall to discuss the spill of more than 1,000 gallons of firefighting foam.
"The Brunswick Executive Airport had the foam stored away in hangar 4 in case they needed it to fight a fire. Last week, a faulty signal to the system caused a malfunction to release the foam, causing it to spill.
"The foam contains PFAS, which is a forever chemical. It leaked into a nearby pond, and the drainage system around the hangar.
"Crews are collecting samples around an outflow pipe that goes from the Brunswick Sewer District into the #AndroscogginRiver.
"Last week, officials said they collected about 6,000 gallons of foam and foam mixed with water."
#PFASContamination #AFFF #PFAS #PFOS #PicnicPond #Site8Stream #MereBrook #MerriconeagStream #AndroscogginRiver #CascoBay #HarpswellCove #Wildlife #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #PFASPollution #BrunswickNavalAirStation #BrunswickStation #FirefightingFoam
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#MaineCDC Issues Advisories on Eating #FreshwaterFish Due to #PFASContamination at the Former #NavalAirStation in #BrunswickMaine
Aug 23, 2024
AUGUSTA -- "The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) today issued new freshwater fish consumption advisories recommending either no consumption or limited consumption of fish from four waterbodies located on and around the former naval air station in Brunswick, Maine.
"The testing of fish is part of the United States Navy's ongoing remedial investigation at the former base in response to #environmental contamination from the historic use of PFAS-containing aqueous film forming foam (#AFFF) in fire-fighting operations. Data were collected in October 2023 by the Navy, in coordination with Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and shared with the Maine CDC in spring of 2024.
"The Maine CDC reviewed the data and determined they showed elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, above the agency's recommended levels for regular consumption.
"While testing occurred before the August 19, 2024 accidental release of AFFF at the former naval air station, that incident is not expected to impact the guidance issued today. The waters likely impacted by the AFFF spill are on the east side of the runway at the air station. Today's advisory recommends a no consumption advisory for those waters based on prior testing data.
"Elevated levels of the specific PFAS called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were detected in fish tissue samples collected from #MereBrook (also known as Mare Brook), #MerriconeagStream, #PicnicPond, and #Site8Stream. The new fish consumption advisories listed below apply to all fish caught in these waterbodies.
"In response to the recent release of AFFF and the reported presence of visible #foam on some of these #waterbodies on the eastern side of the runway, the Maine CDC additionally recommends the public avoid any contact with foam on these water bodies. Out of an abundance of caution, the Maine CDC also recommends the public refrain from any recreational activities (e.g., #swimming, #boating, #wading) that could result in contact with the foam or waters until the potential impact of the AFFF release on these waterbodies is fully assessed.
"PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals found in a variety of consumer products throughout the world. Based on a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, exposure to certain PFAS chemicals has been associated with increases in cholesterol levels, decreases in birth weight, lower antibody response to some vaccines, and kidney cancer."
From the CDC website: Map of waterbodies included in the fish consumption advisory on and around the former Naval Air Station in Brunswick.
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/news/maine-cdc-issues-advisories-eating-freshwater-fish-due-pfas-contamination-former-naval-air-station-fri-08232024-1200
#AndroscogginRiver #CascoBay #HarpswellCove #Wildlife #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #PFASPollution #PFOS #FirefightingFoam -
So, ignoring the elephant in the room (that #PFAS is EVERYWHERE), apparently, the state of #Maine has been restocking fish in ponds and lakes that have known PFAS contamination...
Maine stocks PFAS-laden waters with fish, warns ‘do not eat’
Scientists worry that some anglers will still consume the #trout tainted by #ForeverChemicals. One environmental watchdog group calls the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife practice 'super disturbing.'
by Penelope Overton, June 2, 2024
"Chock-full of forever chemicals, the #FishingHoles next to Fairfield’s youth athletic complex on Industrial Drive are believed to be some of the most #polluted waters in #Maine – yet the state still stocks these ponds every year with hatchery-raised #BrookTrout for local children to catch.
"The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife [#MaineDIFW] said it puts brook trout in the ponds for kids to catch for fun, not for sustenance, and that it warns against eating anything caught from these waters. A fish doesn’t have to be eaten to be enjoyed, said state fisheries director Francis Brautigam."
Relevant quotes:
Sarah Woodbury, Defend Our Health: “This is super disturbing to me that they are intentionally stocking areas they know are contaminated. Folks that depend on fish to feed their families shouldn’t have to be worried about additional contamination.”
Michelle Flewelling, #FairfieldMaine Town Manager: "“Forever chemicals have done a number on this town. We’ve got the highest numbers in the state, maybe the country. We all know it. It’s no secret. It’s in our drinking water, our ponds, our fields. It’s white noise at this point. We’ve lost so much. Why let it take one more thing from these kids?”
Read more [may be behind a paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/06/02/state-stocks-contaminated-waters-with-fish-then-warns-against-eating-them/#WaterIsLife #PFOS #PFASContamination #WaterPollution #PFASPollution #PFOA #PTFE #Wildlife #Cancer #Contamination #Chemicals #Environment #GenXChemicals
#Toxic #Capitalism #Crapitalism