Maine and the United States are now recognizing the dangers of PFAS chemicals, with common exposures through contaminated drinking water or on-the-job exposures, some factory work, or by eating contaminated wild-caught fish or game.

But what exactly is PFAS, and how can you avoid exposure?

WHAT IS PFAS?

PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals used to make coatings in a variety of products, such as nonstick cooking pots and pans, adhesives, sunscreen, cosmetics, furniture, clothing, food packaging, wire insulation, and firefighting foam, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PFAS chemicals are an environmental hazard because they do not break down and can leach into soils and contaminate drinking water, fish, and game. A lot of PFAS use has now been phased out, but some remain. And many PFAS chemicals used commercially over decades have built up in the environment.

WHAT ARE SAFE LEVELS OF PFAS?

Currently, Maine law states that drinking water should be below 20 parts per trillion when measuring for six PFAS chemicals. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a new standard. While not directly comparable to the Maine standard, because it measures two chemicals instead of six, experts say the new federal standard would be more strict, at 4 parts per trillion of the two most common PFAS chemicals.

For fish and game, the Maine CDC in April released a PFAS fish consumption warning for six bodies of water in Albion, China, Fairfield, Limestone, Sanford, and Thorndike. The CDC has published a safe eating guide on its website.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF PFAS?

Research about PFAS impacts on health is still being conducted and analyzed, but PFAS exposure has been connected to elevated levels of cholesterol, low birth weight, kidney, and liver disease, cancer, and a weakened immune system.

HOW DO I GET MY WATER TESTED?

All public water systems in Maine have been tested, and undetectable or safe levels were found in all the major public drinking water systems. Those that test above the Maine standard are required to install filters to remove the chemicals. For more information, and to look up how your public drinking water system tested for PFAS, go to the Maine CDC PFAS public drinking water website.

If you have well water and want your water tested, contact the Maine Department of Environmental Protection at 287-5842 or email pfas.dep@maine.gov. The tests cost between $250-$500, and the DEP will reimburse homeowners if they use an approved lab. Generally, you will be sent a kit to conduct self-testing, and water samples will be sent to a lab for analysis.

To be reimbursed (in some cases the state will not reimburse for the full cost of the tests) there must be some indication of PFAS contamination. Additionally, the source of PFAS on the land must be able to be “tied to a DEP-licensed sludge or septage land application site or other remediation-type site as verified by the DEP,” according to the agency. The lab results also must be sent to the DEP for review.

I’M WORRIED I’VE BEEN EXPOSED TO PFAS. CAN I GET MY BLOOD TESTED?

Blood tests typically cost between $300 and $600. Maine lawmakers are considering a bill that would require insurance companies to cover the cost of the tests, but currently, patients are often paying for the tests out of pocket.

There is no centralized testing site in Maine for blood tests. To see whether you should get tested and how to go about doing so, contact your primary care doctor. The U.S. CDC warns that the blood tests “will not provide information to pinpoint a health problem, nor will it provide information for treatment.”

WHERE HAS PFAS BEEN FOUND IN MAINE?

Because PFAS was so heavily used all over the United States, there is some level of PFAS in the environment across the nation. However, in Maine, some of the areas with higher levels of PFAS are in the Fairfield, Unity, and China areas, although high PFAS levels are not limited to those areas.