Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region. Check back for more PFAS news roundups every other week on our website.
CBC News released an interactive map illustrating PFAS hotspots across Canada, revealing widespread “forever chemical” contamination in every province and territory. It specifically highlights potential threats to drinking water by cross-referencing contaminated sites with nearby wells.
On May 20, Michigan lawmakers introduced two bipartisan bills to provide free PFAS blood testing. This pilot program targets children who were under 11-years-old on January 1, 2012, who lived in homes in Kent, Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties that used contaminated well water or public water supplies when PFAS levels exceeded the state’s limits.
Elsewhere, the Illinois Department of Public Health is advising private well owners, near certain community water systems with elevated PFAS levels, to have their water tested. This recommendation follows Illinois EPA notices that were sent to 47 water systems indicating potential “forever chemical” contamination in nearby private wells.
Illinois lawmakers have advanced a bill to systematically phase out the use of PFAS in firefighter protective clothing and equipment. This action is in response to studies that show increased cancer risks faced by firefighters due to exposure to PFAS. According to reporting from Capitol News Illinois, “the Illinois bill closely follows similar legislation passed in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Connecticut. Under HB 2409, manufacturers would be banned from selling gear containing PFAS in Illinois after Jan. 1, 2027. In the interim, labeling requirements would take effect beginning in 2026.”
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recently directed $30,000 towards a state PFAS workshop for educators and volunteers. This initiative, part of over $1.1 million in total Environmental Education Grants, aims to equip participants with PFAS fundamentals and management knowledge.
A recent analysis of Piqua, Ohio’s drinking water revealed no detectable levels of 29 PFAS compounds. These “non-detect” results were obtained from samples collected as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. The City of Piqua will conduct two more rounds of testing in 2025 to complete its compliance with the program.
More PFAS news in case you missed it:
- New Jersey has reached a settlement with 3M, where the company will pay up to $450 million over 25 years to address widespread PFAS contamination claims.
- The Marquette County Landfill in Michigan was recognized by the EPA for its “exceptional” leachate management system. This system specifically addresses previously high levels of PFAS in the landfill’s wastewater.
- Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced over $13.6 million in funding for water and wastewater projects, including over $1.8 million for the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment to establish a statewide PFAS detection program.
- The Parkersburg Utility Board in West Virginia is moving forward with their plans for a $21 million upgrade to remove PFAS, specifically C8, from its water supply.
- Washington State has enacted new legislation which mandates specific testing requirements for PFAS in biosolids that are used in agriculture.
Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:
EPA Outlines New PFAS Strategy Amid Expert Concerns
Everything to know about microplastics in the Great Lakes
Featured image: Sign warning for environmental contamination (Great Lakes Now Episode 1012)
