Public health group, Maine lawmakers call for sweeping response to ‘forever chemicals’ Defend Our Health, a Portland-based nonprofit group, has worked with two state representatives to introduce seven bills aimed at cleaning up and regulating "forever chemicals" in food, farmland, drinking water and household products. Share A Portland-based nonprofit group has joined forces with state representatives, health care professionals and residents to push several bills through the Maine Legislature that would deal directly with the cleanup and regulation of “forever chemicals” in food, farmland, drinking water and household products. At a news conference Thursday morning, Patrick MacRoy, deputy director of Defend Our Health, reiterated the organization’s mission and discussed how the group has called upon the state to change its guidelines on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFOA and PFOS since 2019.