By now, you’ve probably heard of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in the manufacturing of products since the 1940s. Known as “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly, PFAS are commonly found in items like household cleaning products, food packaging (including the lining of pet food bags), fluorinated ski wax, Gortex, cosmetics, stain resistant upholstery and carpet, and more. Its properties are effective at resisting water and grease. It’s slippery and non-stick.

So we know PFAS are everywhere — what’s the issue?

PFAS are harmful to our health, especially prolonged and repeated exposure to the chemicals. Health impacts can include reproductive issues, birth defects, developmental effects and delays for children, increased risk of cancer and more. While at this time we don’t believe average Mainers need to be overly concerned with their own exposure to PFAS (though I would encourage everyone to be conscious of it), Maine farmers are at a particularly high risk, and their livelihoods are on the line.

You might be wondering why farmers are at a higher risk compared to other Mainers when PFAS are in products all of us have used in the past. In large part, it’s due to the practice of spreading sludge, which is the remnant of wastewater treatment, over farmland. The sludge is applied to land and used as a fertilizer, but it has come at a cost. PFAS chemicals that were washed down the drain or flushed down the toilet become concentrated in the sludge. Thanks to the sound, bipartisan work of the Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, which I chair, last session the Legislature passed a law to fund 17 positions at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to begin testing farmland and adjacent domestic properties for PFAS contamination. As testing for PFAS has ramped up in recent months, more and more Maine farms are learning that their land, their animals and their crops, are all contaminated. Folks are facing the realization that they can no longer sell their milk or vegetables that they have provided to their community for decades. The stories are heart-wrenching. In addition, neighboring homeowners have also learned that the groundwater contamination is effecting their well water.

It’s clear that we need to take action now to prevent further spreading of PFAS on Maine farms, in food and in our household products. As a farmer, chair of the ENR Committee, and board member of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and The Maine Farmland Trust, this fight has been personal to me. The crisis we face is daunting, but I am working hard to support those Mainers who have been and will be most affected by PFAS.

Last year, we passed a new law that will prohibit the sale of products containing PFAS by 2030, exempting products where the chemicals are considered to be unavoidable. By 2023, manufacturers selling products containing PFAS will need to report to the state and explain why the chemicals are necessary. We also allocated millions in the biennial budget for PFAS remediation and testing, which has already begun. Now, our committee is working on a bill that would prohibit land-based sludge application — the same practice that has contaminated so much of our farmland. Yes, this practice is still happening to this day! In addition, the bill would end the sale of bagged sludge-based fertilizers in home and garden stores throughout the state. This is a critical and obvious step to take to prevent further spreading of these toxic chemicals.

We have much to learn, and the need to fund research and farmer support programs is great. It is imperative that we protect our agricultural businesses. Maine is one of the first states to start to deal with PFAS, but other states are close behind in their discovery process. I will proudly continue this fight to protect the health of all Maine people and to support our farmers and food producers. We have no choice but to push forward. For more information on what the state is doing to address PFAS contamination, you can visit www.maine.gov/dep/spills/topics/pfas/. For specific questions, you can email the Department of Environmental Protection at pfas.dep@maine.gov or call (207) 287-5842. You can also view the UMaine Cooperative Extension’s guide by visiting extension.umaine.edu/agriculture/guide-to-investigating-pfas-risk-on-your-farm/.

For any other questions or comments, don’t hesitate to send me an email at Stacy.Brenner@legislature.maine.gov or call my office at (207) 287-1515.