Hunters and wildlife consumers in central Maine now face a broader warning after state officials expanded a consumption advisory that warns of eating deer and wild turkey harvested in certain towns due to high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in wildlife muscle tissue.
What’s Happening
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), working with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), has issued an enlarged “Do Not Eat” wildlife consumption advisory for portions of the towns of Knox, Thorndike, and Unity, Maine.
The newly added area joins existing advisory zones that already cover parts of Fairfield, Skowhegan, Albion, Freedom, Unity Township, Maine, and surrounding territory.
According to state officials, testing of deer and turkey in eastern Kennebec and western Waldo counties revealed PFAS levels in animal muscle that warranted the recommendation that the meat not be consumed.
The advisory states: “Do not eat any deer or wild turkey harvested in the designated zones. No part of the meat or organs in the impacted wildlife is considered safe for consumption.”
Why It Matters
PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products because they resist heat, water, and oil. They’re sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in animals and humans.
When wildlife feed in soils or waters contaminated by PFAS, they can accumulate the chemicals in their muscle and organs. That poses health risks when humans consume that meat repeatedly.
Health concerns linked with PFAS exposure include elevated cholesterol, reduced vaccine response, increased liver enzymes, higher risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women, and increased risk of kidney or testicular cancers.
Hunters, families, and meat processors in the affected zones need to be aware that game harvested in those regions carries additional risk, and they may need to adjust harvest strategies or the disposal of affected meat.
Background: PFAS in Maine
Maine’s first wildlife “Do Not Eat” advisory for deer was issued in November 2021 after testing in the greater Fairfield area revealed PFAS in deer muscle tissue at levels high enough to recommend less than two to three meals per year, or full avoidance.
Since then, the state has expanded sampling to turkeys and other zones. The advisory areas have grown gradually as officials map contaminated soils, surface waters, and wildlife tissue results.
The new addition of Knox, Thorndike, and Unity comes as part of ongoing screening near areas with known elevated soil PFAS concentrations.
What’s Next
State agencies plan to continue sampling deer and turkey in and around the advisory zones, and update the maps and guidance as new data become available.
Hunters are advised to check the latest maps and avoid consuming game harvested inside the advisory boundaries. In addition, anyone who lives in or hunts those areas and has consumed game from the zones should monitor for updates or consult a toxicologist at the Maine CDC.
Meanwhile, the state continues investigating potential sources of PFAS contamination, including land application of sludge and septage, to determine how wildlife and habitats became impacted, and to guide containment or remediation efforts.
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