On Thursday, July 18, residents of Cannon and Courtland townships gathered at Rockford High School to discuss the discovery of new PFAS water contamination in residential drinking wells with state and local officials. For some in the community, the townhall meeting must have felt like déjà vu.
Rockford residents are all too familiar with the potential health risks of PFAS. In 2017, the community was rocked by reports that dozens of locations around shoe manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide’s tannery and dump sites were contaminated with elevated levels of the toxic substance. What followed was years of cleanup, illnesses, and lawsuits. Now, many in the community are concerned it’s happening again.
PFAS, short for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. PFAS are persistent in the environment and human body, often referred to as “forever chemicals.” Studies have linked PFAS exposure to numerous adverse health effects, including cancer, liver damage, and immune system issues.
The townhall meeting was scheduled after testing by the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) alerted residents to the new contamination sites. A flyer containing a map of test sites was distributed to the community, detailing the results of recent groundwater testing.
Map via. Michigan PFAS Action Response Team
Out of nearly 200 tested properties, 59 have measurable PFAS levels, with 24 exceeding Michigan’s safety limits. The highest detection is 110 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS, surpassing both state (16-ppt) and new federal (4-ppt) limits. State regulators are investigating whether the contamination comes from a single plume or multiple sources, noting the chemical makeup varies by location.
After an update on the situation was provided, the floor was opened to members of the community. Many expressed frustration and shared stories of how the contamination has affected their lives.
“PFAS is a forever chemical and its pervasive and it doesn’t go away and it’s linked to many types of cancers that no one should be exposed to,” said Gail Mancewicz, a member of the advocacy group Concerned Citizens for Responsible Remediation. “It’s life and death. I have nieces with cancers and I don’t want anyone else to get cancer.”
Officials at the townhall meeting committed to continued testing and paying for the installation of water filtration systems at affected residences. Fox 17 is also reporting that the state is still working to confirm the sources of the contamination, largely believed to be related to Wolverine Worldwide’s activity.
WBE originally filed a class action lawsuit against The 3M Co. and Wolverine Worldwide in 2017, alleging environmental contamination after testing revealed elevated levels of PFAS around Wolverine’s tannery and dump sites. WBE and co-counsel obtained a $54 million settlement for their clients. To learn more about this case, click here.
0 Comments