There is an alert in Massachusetts because authorities have warned about a chemical that has been found in several state parks and that you may be at risk of coming into contact with.
The public health department tested the water at state parks and found harmful levels of chemicals known as pfas, or polyfluoroalkyl, in the fish.
“They are man-made chemicals that have been used commercially for many years with kitchen products, shampoos, cosmetics.” says Ligia Peralta, Infectologist.
Thirteen bodies of water have been listed as unsafe, and urged to limit consumption or avoid it entirely, especially for families who fish for food.
The infectologist Peralta says that the risk is that these chemical substances can accumulate in your body and cause disorders of the reproductive system, liver, kidney, thyroid and also the fetus.
These substances are used to make heat-resistant or non-stick products, they do not break down easily.
“There is no medication that can detoxify a person who already has an accumulation of this type of substance. The important thing is to lower the level in your body by not consuming the product that is already intoxicated, such as fish in this case.” Peralta said.
Below is a list of the polluted lakes:
- Ashland Reservoir in Ashland
- Chicopee Reservoir in Chicopee
- Lake Cochituate in Natick
- Dennison Lake in Winchendon
- Dunn Pond in Gardner
- Fearing Pond in Plymouth
- Houghtons Pond in Milton
- Pearce Lake in Saugus
- Pequot Pond in Westfield
- Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester
- Walden Pond in Concord
- Wallum Lake in Douglas
- Watsons Pond in Taunton