Maine CDC warns not to eat fish from waters near Brunswick airport due to pre-spill PFAS levels

Approximately 1,600 gallons of foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, was accidentally discharged at Brunswick Executive Airport's hangar 4 on Aug. 19, 2024. (AnnMarie Hilton/ Maine Morning Star)

Even before 1,600 gallons of foam containing forever chemicals spilled at the Brunswick airport on Monday, the previous use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, at the site has made the water in the area a hazard.

On Friday, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued new freshwater fish consumption advisories for the region. The agency recommends no consumption of fish caught on the eastern side of the runway, as well as Merriconeag Stream, Picnic Pond, and Site 8 Stream, while no more than six meals per year should include fish caught in Mere (Mare) Brook, in the stretch from Coffin Ice Pond to the Western edge of the runway.

The testing that led to the new consumption advisories was part of ongoing remediation efforts in response to historic use of PFAS-laden firefighting foam at the site. The 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 issues, and more.

On Monday morning, the fire suppression system in hangar four at what is now the Brunswick Executive Airport went off, discharging approximately 1,600 gallons of foam containing PFAS into the area, including local waterways.

In response, Maine CDC is recommending that no one touch any of the remaining foam and avoid recreational activities such as swimming or boating that may bring them in contact with the foam or the water until further assessment can be done.

However, the agency said Monday’s spill should not affect the new fish consumption guidance. The waters that were likely impacted by the foam are on the east side of the air station’s runway and already included in the new no consumption guidance.

Though the official advisories are coming 10 months after testing, notes from a late May meeting of the Restoration Advisory Board for the former Brunswick Naval Air Station mention elevated levels of specific PFAS called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in fish samples collected on and off the former base.

Maine DEP released an update Friday afternoon about the clean up of the remaining foam from Monday’s spill.

Contractors will clean up any interior spaces, including hangar four where it originated, while DEP employees will take surface water samples every day for the next week to determine what ongoing sampling will be required.

The department will soon publish the results of initial samples taken the day of the spill to determine the foam’s contents.

The department said various state agencies as well as the EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the town of Brunswick and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which runs the airport, have been onsite since the incident occurred. DEP will continue to have staff on site overseeing the removal and once complete the site will return to its status of long-term remediation.

Members of the public should avoid contact with any foam that may still be in the area. If any is observed outside of the area in and around hanger four and the nearby business TechPlace, residents should report it by calling 207-844-8040.

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