TIMES RECORD • December 29, 2021
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will continue its investigation into so-called ‘forever chemicals’ in the Bowdoinham soil until mid-January. The DEP conducted the first field visit to Bowdoinham on Dec. 3, where staff tested soil and groundwater at several sites. “Additional field visits are scheduled to take place in Bowdoinham the last week of December and the second week of January,” said the Deputy Commissioner of Maine DEP. “The focus will be on groundwater sampling.” In October, the state identified 34 communities that would be tested first for PFAS contamination based on various risk factors. At least 8 paper companies spread more than 500,000 cubic yards of paper mill waste on land in Maine between 1989 and 2016, plus biosolids obtained from wastewater treatment plants that processed paper mill sludge and wastewater. PFAS chemicals can increase the risk of cancer, elevate blood pressure during pregnancy, can cause liver and kidney problems and can impair the immune system.