The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the state CDC have issued an alert warning that wildlife in parts of Knox, Thorndike and Unity are unsafe to eat because of PFAS contamination.
The department says it has detected high levels of PFAS in deer and turkey, which can show up in the meat and organs of the animals.
PFAS are also known as "forever" chemicals, because they can take hundreds, even thousands of years to break down in the environment. PFAS exposure can increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer, threaten fetal health, and cause other health problems.
A Do Not Eat Wildlife Consumption Advisory is already in place in parts of other towns: Fairfield, Skowhegan, Unity, Unity Township, Albion, Freedom, Knox and Thorndike. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife urges hunters to check its online wildlife advisory map of affected towns.