ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – On December 8th, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) issued updated fish consumption advisories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” After testing fish over the past two years, MDE determined that fifteen fish species at forty sites throughout Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay require public health advisories due to PFAS concentrations. MDE began testing for PFAS after the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association tested the St. Mary’s River waters and oysters and found low levels of PFAS.
Many scientists and health advisors fear MDE’s advisories are too lenient. While the family of PFAS contains thousands of compounds, MDE based their advisories on only one of these compounds, Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), due to its notable levels at every testing site. Studies strongly indicate that other PFAS compounds also have adverse health impacts, and many scientists say all PFAS compounds should be measured and regulated cumulatively. MDE chose to not issue a PFAS advisory for a particular location and species if a more stringent advisory was already in place for another contaminant (mercury, lead, PCBs, etc).
PFAS effect on human health published by the European Environment Agency. Retrieved from: https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/human/chemicals/emerging-chemical-risks-in-europe ]
For the Potomac River tributaries including the St. Mary’s River, PFAS advisories are in place for silver perch, black sea bass, striped bass, and sunfish (photo: silver perch are in the drum family and are commonly confused with sea trout or white perch). Many other fish including carp, white catfish, and blue catfish have “avoid” advisories for PCBs and other contaminants.
MDE set no limits on oysters and crabs, except for an “avoid” advisory for the mustard in crabs. We highly recommend you watch the panel discussion PFAS in the Chesapeake that aired on Facebook November 16, 2020. Then decide for yourself and your family how you will or won’t reduce PFAS in your life.
MDE maintains an interactive webpage of seafood advisories: https://mdewin64.mde.state.md.us/WSA/FCA/index.html
Thank you for running my letter to the editor from a few years ago. Please let me know how to proceed here. Here are two articles that address Maryland’s recent fish advisory. In the first one I spoke to six of the nation’s top scientists about Maryland’s handling of PFAS and they were not impressed.
The second article tries to explain the crucial importance of PFOS levels in surface water. It’s a shame the people of Chesapeake Beach have to deal with this.
If you would like to publish these in their entirety that would be amazing. If you want me to submit two letters to the editor that are shorter, please give me your word limit and I can make it work. You may want to take our reformatted surface water chart and publish it separately. It’s so important for people to understand what’s really going on. Pat Elder 301-997-3963. Thank you for your trust.
Maryland issues PFAS fish advisory that fails to protect public health
Maryland Department of the Environment claims decisions are based on science while nation’s top scientists say otherwise.
By Pat Elder
December 15, 2023
https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/maryland-issues-pfas-fish-advisory-that-fails-to-protect-public-health
PFAS study by Maryland Department of the Environment says Chesapeake Beach is the most contaminated place in the state.
The town may have the highest levels of PFAS contamination in soil and surface water worldwide.
By Pat Elder
December 21, 2023
https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/maryland-department-of-the-environment-mde-releases-surface-water-data-for-pfas