New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services says test results of groundwater and soil taken at the Saint-Gobain plastics plant in Merrimack show a high level contamination at the plant.
Saint-Gobain's plant is the likely source of high concentrations of PFOA, a contaminant found in well water surrounding the plant.
Preliminary groundwater results show concentrations at the facility as high as 5800 parts per trillion. That's 58 times higher than the state's threshold for drinking water.
Concentrations of PFOA in Saint-Gobain's soil samples, on the other hand, came up well below the state's threshold of concern.
The contaminant PFOA sticks to water, has a very long half life, and stays in the bloodstream for years.
Scientists have found associations between the contaminant and negative health outcomes, from reduced immune response, to certain kinds of cancer. Those associations, however, are not yet conclusive.