ON MARCH 21, 2023, the New Hampshire Supreme Court gave polluters, like Saint Gobain Performance Plastics (Saint Gobain) in Merrimack, the green light to keep polluting our state and making residents sick. But, unlike 16 other states, the court has chosen not to protect the people who have decades of past and ongoing exposure to “forever chemicals” or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), from Saint Gobain’s industrial emissions.

Read how blasting impacts groundwater and threatens drinking water supplies.

“There’s always been a push from the scientific side,” Jackson said. “There’s always been a push that levels should be lower.”

Infants and small children who consume arsenic in their water or food may not grow and develop properly.

Researchers say long-term arsenic exposure can cause cancer of the lungs, bladder and skin. #HB1592

“I think the state is starting to move aggressively on protecting the public from the dangers of PFAS,” Cushing said. “The lawsuit the state filed against polluters, the fact DES adopted some of the strictest standards for PFAS in the country, just shows public opinion is with protecting our drinking water.”

The new standard will require local water systems, landfills and others to limit how much arsenic they allow in the water supply to 5 parts per billion – half the federal default.

New Hampshire is only the second state in the country to make such a change, after New Jersey.

PORTSMOUTH - A state legislative committee is set to vote Thursday on water quality standards for PFAS chemicals that are substantially lower than the ones set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

PORTSMOUTH — The state Department of Environmental Services has set water quality standards for PFAS chemicals that are substantially lower than those of the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

CONCORD — The state Department of Justice has lined up six nationally known law firms to represent New Hampshire in its landmark lawsuit against major chemical companies over contamination from chemicals used in products with trade names like Teflon and Scotchgard.

NH WISDOM provides detail on cancer and other health issues in NH.

Read about NH#1 in the nation for children with cancer.

See the CDC cancer statistics that show NH is #1 in the nation for bladder, breast and esophageal cancer.

#PFAS and arsenic are colorless and odorless. If you want to know what’s in your water you can order a test kit yourself.