Hundreds of Maine households potentially exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances can now have their blood tested at no cost.
According to Central Maine News, the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination is spearheading the program, which identified the 600 households based on soil test data from three state agencies. The households received letters in September informing them of their eligibility for free blood tests, which would normally cost $400-$600 each. The Fund, created by Governor Janet Mills in 2022, allocated roughly $400,000 to cover initial testing.
The eligible households sit on properties that tested for high levels of these "forever chemicals" — so called for their persistence in human bodies and habitats, where clean-ups can be very difficult. In these Maine cases, the preponderance of the synthetic chemicals came from sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, used as agricultural fertilizer. Farmers who spread the fertilizer over their lands as well as those who live and work on or nearby such farms and former farms may have been exposed to PFAS and PFOS.
Exposures to the chemicals have been linked to serious health risks, including certain cancers, reproductive issues, poor immunity, and developmental delays. In addition to biosolids, PFAS can be found in countless consumer goods, from non-stick cookware to cleaning products and some water- and stain-resistant fabrics. Across product manufacturing, use, and discarding, drinking water supplies and soil systems can also be contaminated.
The Maine state-funded blood tests will give individuals a baseline of PFAS and PFOS exposure. Those who test above 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood for seven common chemicals will be encouraged to schedule regular screenings for specific cancers and health conditions based on age, according to Central Maine News.
Homeowners may try to mitigate their exposure by using water filtration systems certified to help reduce PFAS. Some residents may even consider moving. The free testing will help each household understand and hopefully manage their exposure and health risks.
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Follow-up testing may show if such efforts reduce PFAS blood levels. It may also help experts monitor associated conditions early on, giving researchers a better understanding of the effects of high exposure and how to protect public health.
This could be a turning point in how government agencies help people protect themselves from forever chemicals. It's a direct response to contamination data that's been collected since 2021. Maine's decision to fund these tests could save people from serious health conditions caused by PFAS and PFOS exposures and further research into mitigation and treatment methods.
"Having a number changes the conversation from abstract anxiety to concrete risk management," Abby Fleisch, a pediatric endocrinologist at MaineHealth and a PFAS researcher, told Central Maine News. Fleisch continued, "The results tell us what to be on the lookout for and can then be used to guide long-term clinical care."
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