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Report: PFOA Contamination in Merrimack Didn't Impact Cancer Rates

FILE

A new report shows that recent PFOA water contamination in Merrimack does not appear to have resulted in higher cancer rates in town.

The state conducted the study after residents were concerned about their health given the levels of PFOA, short for Perfluorooctanoic acid, found in the public water supply in 2016.

Such contaminants have been linked to thyroid disease, cancer, and immune system changes.

The report focused solely on cancer. It compared rates of 26 different types of cancer in Merrimack with the rest of the state and found – rates are relatively similar.

The state Department of Health and Human Services says it will continue to review the town’s cancer rates over the next two years.

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