Maine CDC warns against eating fish from waters near Brunswick airport because of PFAS levels present before oil spill • Maine Morning Star
Even before 6,500 litres of foam containing dangerous chemicals were released at Brunswick Airport on Monday, the site’s previous use of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances (also known as PFAS) posed a threat to the region’s water.
On Friday, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued new freshwater fish consumption recommendations for the region. The agency recommends not eating fish caught on the east side of the runway, as well as in Merriconeag Stream, Picnic Pond and Site 8 Stream. In addition, no more than six meals per year should include fish caught in Mere (Mare) Brook on the stretch from Coffin Ice Pond to the western edge of the runway.
The testing that led to the new consumption recommendations was part of ongoing remediation efforts in response to the site’s historical use of firefighting foam containing PFAS. Samples collected in October by the U.S. Navy in coordination with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed PFAS levels above the agency’s recommendation for regular consumption.
PFAS have been linked to serious long-term health problems, including cancer, weakened immune systems, developmental disorders, and more.
On Monday morning, the fire suppression system in Hangar 4 of what is now Brunswick Executive Airport went off, releasing approximately 1,600 gallons of PFAS-containing foam into the surrounding area, including local waterways.
In response, the Maine CDC recommends that no one touch the remaining foam and avoid recreational activities such as swimming or boating that could come into contact with the foam or water until further investigation can be conducted.
However, the agency said Monday’s spill should not impact the new fish consumption guidelines. The waters likely affected by the foam are on the east side of the airport’s runway and are already included in the new no-consumption guidelines.
Although the official warnings only come 10 months after the tests, Notes At a meeting of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station Restoration Advisory Board in late May, elevated levels of a particular PFAS called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were mentioned in fish samples collected on and off the former base.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection released an update Friday afternoon on the cleanup of remaining foam from Monday’s oil spill.
Contractors will clean all interior areas, including Hangar 4, where the accident originated, while DEP staff will collect surface water samples daily over the next week to determine what ongoing sampling will be needed.
The department will soon release the results of the first samples taken on the day of the oil spill to determine the composition of the foam.
The department said various state agencies have been on site since the incident, as well as the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, the city of Brunswick and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which operates the airport. The DEP will continue to have personnel on site overseeing the cleanup, and once it is complete, the site will be returned to long-term remediation status.
The public should avoid contact with any foam that remains in the area. If foam is observed outside of the area in and around Hangar 4 and the nearby TechPlace business, residents should report it by calling 207-844-8040.
