{"id":5,"date":"2021-06-25T18:45:34","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T18:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/?page_id=5"},"modified":"2026-10-23T16:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T22:54:10","slug":"main","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/","title":{"rendered":"PFAS in New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PFAS can be found across the United States. Here in New Mexico, the Environment Department is tackling PFAS at the source and phasing out products that cause families harm. We\u2019re taking a proactive, public health-focused approach to protecting New Mexicans, and leading the nation in finding PFAS contaminates.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NMED recently released a video outlining our nation-leading PFAS regulations, that seek to protect consumers and give them information to make well-informed decisions. These requirements mandate transparency for manufactures in order to keep New Mexicans safe.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"PFAS in New Mexico \u2014 Public Service Announcement (English)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3z7jppBm-_I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are PFAS?<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/10\/pfasJar.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1147\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8260059355373042;width:98px;height:auto\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PFAS, which stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, are human-made chemicals that make products resistant to heat, water, stains, and oil. They are often called \u201cforever chemicals\u201d because they break down very slowly in our bodies and in the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some <span data-contrast=\"auto\">PFAS are associated with health effects such as cancer, reproductive damage, increased cholesterol, and other problems.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because PFAS can build up in the body, even small, repeated exposures over time can matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/pfas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/06\/pfas_family_photo.png\" alt=\"photo of family outside\" class=\"wp-image-873\" style=\"width:374px;height:auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>NMED is managing a variety of programs to protect New Mexico families from PFAS in drinking water, products, and the environment.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is New Mexico doing about PFAS contamination?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Mexico is home to some of the world\u2019s most extensive PFAS contamination, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/legal-action-against-us-air-force-facilities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>especially near military bases<\/strong><\/a>, where firefighting foams containing PFAS were used for decades, including at Cannon Air Force Base in Curry County, Holloman Air Force Base in Otero County, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/hazardous-waste\/kafb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kirtland Airforce Base in Albuquerque<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Mexico is helping to lead the nation in tackling the effects of PFAS contamination, with actions such as<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Passing the <a href=\"https:\/\/nmonesource.com\/nmos\/nmsa\/en\/item\/4415\/index.do#!fragment\/zoupio-_Toc233796342\/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgCYBmLgdgE4AbFwAsHAJQAaZNlKEIARUSFcAT2gByDZIiEwuBEpXqtOvQZABlPKQBC6gEoBRADJOAagEEAcgGEnkqRgAEbQpOzi4kA\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"640\">PFAS Protection Act<\/a>, which phases out intentionally added PFAS in many consumer products and requires a label on products that still contain PFAS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adding PFAS firefighting foams to the <a href=\"\/hazardous-waste\/hazardous-waste-regulation-and-authorization\/\">New Mexico\u2019s Hazardous Waste Act<\/a>, allowing the state to regulate the management and cleanup of Aqueous Firefighting Foams (AFFF) and shifting the financial burden from taxpayers to polluters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"\/pfas\/legal-action-against-us-air-force-facilities\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"650\">Suing the U.S. Department of War<\/a> to compel the military to halt non-emergency use of AFFF and compensate property owners harmed by it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launching NMED\u2019s <a href=\"\/pfas\/pfas-blood-testing-program\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"647\">PFAS Blood Testing Program<\/a> \u2014 offering free PFAS blood testing to adults who lived or worked near Cannon Air Force Base.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offering <a href=\"\/pfas\/test-your-water\/\">free private well testing and water solutions<\/a> in two New Mexico areas with known PFAS concerns: La Cienega\/La Cieneguilla communities in Santa Fe County and Curry County near Cannon Air Force Base.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PFAS can be found across the United States. Here in New Mexico, the Environment Department is tackling PFAS at the source and phasing out products that cause families harm. We\u2019re taking a proactive, public health-focused approach to protecting New Mexicans, and leading the nation in finding PFAS contaminates.&nbsp;&nbsp; NMED recently released a video outlining our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5"}],"version-history":[{"count":87,"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":431,"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5\/revisions\/431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.env.nm.gov\/pfas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}