Maine Residents Warned Against Eating Fish From Contaminated River Near Old Mill Site

Environmental officials have issued an advisory warning Maine residents not to consume fish from the Presumpscot River due to contamination originating from the former Keddy Mill site in Windham. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the advisory on October 17, cautioning against eating any fish caught downstream from the abandoned mill.

The Keddy Mill site, a nearly seven-acre complex that manufactured steel products from the 1960s, is located near Depot Street along the Presumpscot River. Recent testing revealed elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic chemicals known to contaminate fish tissue, according to a fact sheet shared in an EPA advisory on the Town of Windham's Facebook page. PCBs are widely studied environmental contaminants linked to serious health effects in humans and animals, including potential carcinogenicity, according to the EPA.

The Presumpscot River is a popular recreational area for many in the greater Portland region, offering opportunities for paddling, swimming, fishing, and hiking. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention previously released seafood consumption guidelines in August, recommending residents eat no more than four meals per year of any fish species from the Presumpscot River in Westbrook and Falmouth areas.

The fishing advisory has raised concerns among local residents about potential health impacts. The contamination at the Keddy Mill site is associated with past industrial activities. According to the Portland Press Herald, fuel oil was previously found in a stormwater tunnel, petroleum in the soil, and spilled fluids containing PCBs from old electrical equipment were discovered at the site. The EPA noted that significant disposal of hazardous substances, including PCBs, may have occurred during the mill's manufacturing operations in the 1960s and early 1970s.

The Keddy Mill site was designated a Superfund site in 2014 by the EPA's National Priorities List, which identifies and investigates hazardous waste sites. The EPA has proposed a $17 million cleanup plan for the site, expected to take four years. The project is slated to begin in phases in early 2027, with the first phase involving the demolition and removal of the building.

Officials have stated that the fishing advisory will remain in effect until the polluted materials are fully removed from the site to safeguard public health and wildlife. The Town of Windham has indicated that there is no official timeline for the completion of the cleanup. Residents have expressed frustration about the delay in public warnings and the cleanup process for a site that has been a long-standing concern for the community.