PFAS are “forever chemicals”. This is a manmade chemical used in coating various products. It can enter our water supply and be ingested by humans. It has bee linked to cancer and other health issues.

There are concerns about the use of PFAS in solar panel and battery manufacturing. PFAS is found in the coatings on electrical wires, back panels, tapes and adhesives.

If PFAS is used in solar installations they could slough off with rainwater and enter the underlying soil, groundwater and aquifers.

In Southeastern Massachusetts large ground mounted solar projects have been installed in wetland cranberry bogs and along agricultural canals bordering bogs. The Rocky Maple project in Carver and Wareham is proposed for a Riverfront Area on the Weweantic.

State and local officials should address this concern and provide assurances to the public that existing and future solar installations pose no risk of PFAS contamination of our water.

This paper from Citizens for Sensible Solar in New York contains research.