Forever chemicals
-
PublishedSeptember 9, 2022
Two Augusta area schools find ‘forever chemicals’ in their water supplies
The two schools, Helen A. Thompson School in West Gardiner and Whitefield Elementary School, plan to install filtration systems in the next month.
-
PublishedJuly 10, 2022
Latest impact of PFAS contamination: Rising sewer rates
The looming cost to homeowners in public sewer districts is the latest impact of an expanding crisis that has contaminated agricultural fields and drinking wells, closed farms and left some fish and game unsafe to eat.
-
PublishedJune 17, 2022
New federal PFAS advisory adds challenges to Maine’s costly PFAS cleanup
Water filtration systems that the state has been installing in Mainers' homes appear to be removing detectable levels of harmful forever chemicals, but no one knows if they achieve the much lower levels deemed safe by the EPA.
-
PublishedJune 16, 2022
Even trace amounts of PFAS chemicals pose health risk, new federal advisory says
Under the new guidance, Maine's PFAS problem would challenge public water districts that serve hundreds of thousands of customers, not just rural residents and farmers who rely on well water.
-
PublishedJune 9, 2022
Proposed federal grants would help remove PFAS from rural water supplies
The Healthy H2O Act would help rural areas that rely on well water tests and treat for so-called forever chemicals.
-
PublishedJune 3, 2022
As vote nears on Fairfield water expansion project, state says it’s unable to fund filter systems ‘in perpetuity’
Fairfield is considering a $48 million expansion of the public water system as a way to help those with private wells that testing has found to be contaminated by PFAS.
-
PublishedMay 17, 2022
Maine attorney general plans to sue over PFAS contamination
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey said the state is preparing for a lawsuit against manufacturers of so-called forever chemicals.
-
PublishedApril 11, 2022
Maine lawmakers approve ban on pesticides containing PFAS by 2030
The legislation, which has divided the state's farming community, was passed by the Senate on Monday after gaining approval in the House last week.
-
PublishedApril 7, 2022
Bill to ban sludge recycling and spreading divides farmers
While some farmers support a ban on sludge spreading to protect Maine farms from forever chemicals, a group that includes farmers and wastewater treatment operators want a 'science based approach' to monitoring PFAS levels to avoid increased fertilizer and sewer costs.
-
PublishedApril 3, 2022
As problem of PFAS contamination came to light, ski industry took early steps to ban the chemicals
Just a few years ago, fluoro waxes, which contain "forever chemicals," were used widely in the ski industry, but as evidence of their ill effects grew, the sport made changes.