NEW YORK STATE (WENY) -- Recent findings from a Cornell study revealed how contaminants ingested by hunted ducks and geese can potentially harm hunters that regularly harvest and consume these waterfowl.

A study from the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab and some of its partners found concerning levels of forever chemicals in hunted waterfowl across several states, including New York and Pennsylvania.

"This isn't work done to scare hunters or stop people from hunting, but they deserve to be aware of what's happening and what they're consuming," remarked Dr. Krysten Schuler of the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, one of the main authors of the study.

Collaborating with the DEC among other state agencies, researchers at Cornell discovered that several harmful chemical compounds were present in commonly hunted species of waterfowl -- including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticide (OCP), and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS).

"What we learned in this study was that we are seeing waterfowl with contaminants, which we kind of expected to see. Really, we're thinking about, 'what does this do to the wildlife population' and also, the hunters and their families that might consume it," added Dr. Schuler.

Hunters that regularly harvest and consume these animals contributed to the study, finding that consumption of more than two harvested meals per month can increase cancer risk, but more research is needed.

"We know that some of these chemicals bioaccumulate, so they will be stored in fat," remarked Dr. Schuler, "So removing the fat is one way that hunters can make sure that they're not getting as many of these chemicals and then it moves up the food chain."

More than half a million ducks and geese are harvested throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut every year. The study also found that less harmful chemicals were found in wood ducks and Canada geese, than mallards, American black ducks, and green-winged teals.

Though PCBs and other harmful chemicals were federally banned in 1979, safe consumption guidelines in New York State haven't been updated since the early 1990s. The study's authors are hoping that their research will bring about new safety recommendations from the state Department of Health.