Duck hunters in the Land of Enchantment received a startling health advisory from the New Mexico Department of Health Monday. The advisory comes on the heels of an in-depth environmental report that revealed “record-breaking levels” of forever chemicals (also known as PFAS) in ducks and other birds, along with mammals and plants in and around Holloman Lake in southern New Mexico. Due to the extraordinarily high levels of these toxic chemicals, which pose health risks to humans, the Department is now warning all waterfowlers who’ve hunted at the Holloman Air Force Base or any other nearby waterbodies within the last 10 to 15 years to contact their doctor.
“The levels of PFAS contamination in Holloman Lake are deeply concerning, particularly for hunters who may have consumed waterfowl from the area over the past decade,” NMDOH medical director Dr. Miranda Durham said in the advisory issued earlier this week. “PFAS exposure has been linked to serious health problems, and we encourage anyone who has consumed game from this region and has concerns to talk to their healthcare provider.”
PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, refers to a family of more than 15,00 chemicals that are commonly used for their waterproofing, stain resistance, and durability qualities. Teflon is one example. These chemicals are also used in manufacturing outdoor gear, including the DWR coating found in many of today’s rain jackets. Because of their unique atomic structure, these chemicals do not break down easily — hence the nickname “forever chemicals.” They build up in the environment, and particularly in water bodies, where they are then absorbed by plants, animals, and humans.
We’re still learning about the human risks posed by these chemicals, which have been around since the 1940s, and which have been linked to cancer, developmental delays, and fertility problems. At this point, PFAS are so widespread in our environment that they are found “in the blood of people and animals all over the world,” according to the EPA.
The situation at Holloman, however, is particularly concerning, as the 613-page report issued by the New Mexico Environment Department in early January points to some of the highest concentrations of PFAS ever recorded. Analyzing the livers of small birds and mammals revealed staggering amounts of forever chemicals, including a concentration 120,000 nanograms per gram in the liver of a Merriam’s kangaroo rat. This is thought to be the highest concentration of PFAS ever recorded in any wild animal anywhere, according to the Los Alamos Daily Post. The highest concentration recorded in a duck from Holloman Lake was around 38,000 nanograms per gram, and it came from an American Wigeon.
The report only adds to the longstanding concerns around Holloman, which provides habitat for more than 250 species of birds, 41 of which can be legally hunted. It follows a separate 2024 study, conducted by the University of New Mexico, which found that “just one gram of duck meat from Holloman Lake exceeded the lifetime exposure limit recommended for humans.”
This revelation led the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to close Holloman lake to public hunting and fishing in 2024. But since we’re still learning about the true level of forever chemicals present in the lake, the current health advisory applies to anyone who’s consumed or hunted wild birds there going back to 2010.
Read Next: Maine Warns Hunters to Throw Out Deer and Turkey Meat After Tests Reveal High Levels of Forever Chemicals in Some Areas
It’s also a much larger regional concern because of the migratory nature of waterfowl. The NMED’s January report points out that the “movement of birds from Holloman to other wetlands around the state still carries a risk for hunters” elsewhere in the state. And an NMED spokesperson said the current health advisory applies to all hunters who’ve consumed “any game that may be associated with Holloman Lake migratory paths.”
Holloman Lake is located along the Central Flyway. But similar concerns around PFAS and other environmental contaminants in migratory waterfowl exist in other flyways as well. A recent study conducted in the Northeast Atlantic Flyway focused specifically on waterfowl species that are commonly harvested by hunters, and every sample they looked at contained detectable levels of PFAS.
The Holloman report also notes that “a similar risk exists for [big-game] hunters,” since oryx are commonly found on the northern end of the reservoir, as well as in the nearby White Sands Missile Range. The study’s authors said more oryx samples will need to be tested in order to understand the real footprint of contamination in and around the lake.
New Mexico Department of Environment Secretary James Kinney told reporters Wednesday the report is “a stark reminder” that the Department of Defense needs to take responsibility for cleanup at Holloman. The reservoir lies on an Air Force Base near Alamagordo, and it was originally built to store wastewater. Earlier investigations by the state have found that many of the forever chemicals found in the lake are a result of leaking sewage and firefighting training, according to the New Mexico Political Report. (The foam used in fire extinguishers is a common source of PFAS.)
Read Next: PFAS Explained: These Forever Chemicals Are Being Banned from a Variety of Outdoor Products. Now Gear Makers Are Scrambling
“We must double down on our demand of the U.S. Air Force to clean up PFAS in our state while telling manufacturers who pour PFAS-laden consumer goods into New Mexico homes — do better,” Kinney told the news outlet.
Multiple states, including California, Colorado, and New York, have already banned the use of PFAS in things like textiles, apparel, and firefighting foam. Other bans and PFAS-related measures are likely to follow as state health departments learn more about the risks these chemicals pose to humans, our watersheds, and our fish and wildlife.
Read the full article here
