FAIRFIELD, Maine — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced Monday that the PFAS "Do Not Eat" advisory area in Fairfield has been reduced in size.
MDIFW, in partnership with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, issued a revised map of the advisory area, showing it has been reduced in size by 80 percent, a news release from MDIFW said.
"The reduced advisory area (map of new advisory area) is based upon the PFAS testing of 60 deer and 51 wild turkeys harvested throughout and just outside the previous advisory area," MDIFW said in the release.
PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The harmful chemicals are hard to break down and exist in the environment for a long period of time, according to MDIFW.
"Over time, exposure to these chemicals have been known to increase the risk of some types of cancer, decrease infant and fetal growth, increase cholesterol levels, and impair the immune system," the release said.
The turkeys were collected over the past 15 months, while the deer were collected in August and September, the release stated.
According to the release, the testing results from animals in the area showed that only animals that were harvested close to the most highly contaminated fields in the area "had PFAS levels that warranted a consumption advisory."
Following the results, MDIFW issued a revised "Do Not Eat" advisory area for deer and turkey in the 25 square-mile area that the contaminated animals were near, the release said. The area encompasses parts of Skowhegan and Fairfield and reduces the former 125 square-mile advisory area set in November 2021.
"The MDIFW and the Maine CDC recommend that no one eats deer or wild turkey harvested in this 25 square mile area," the release stated.
Due to the animals feeding in the contaminated area, which includes farm fields contaminated by high PFAS levels "through the spreading of municipal and/or industrial sludge for fertilizer," the deer and turkeys have ingested the chemicals, causing their meat and organs to contain the PFAS, according to the release.
"We are fortunate that we are able to significantly reduce the size of this advisory area and provide some reassurances to those who hunt in the greater Fairfield area," MDIFW Commissioner Judy Camuso said in the release. "This could not have been done without the support of farmers and landowners in the Fairfield area, and a dedicated staff. We all are very grateful."
MDIFW said PFAS was reportedly first discovered in the Fairfield area when routine testing of milk samples showed high levels of the "forever chemicals" at a dairy farm in Fairfield.
"Since that time, increased testing has revealed multiple fields, farms, wells, and waters in the area that have elevated high levels of PFAS," the release said.
Revised PFAS "Do Not Eat" advisory area map for the Fairfield and Skowhegan area:
Revised vs. old PFAS "Do Not Eat" advisory area map for the Fairfield and Skowhegan area:
To learn more about PFAS, click here.
For more information about the PFAS "Do Not Eat" advisory area, click here.