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.
According to reporting by MLive, two researchers are studying blood samples from bald eagles across Michigan and the Great Lakes basin for evidence of chemical exposure to things like PFAS, DDT or PCBs — which were both banned in 1972 and 1979. Their sample set showed that eagles located closer to the lakes were approximately six times more contaminated with these chemicals than eagles nesting farther inland.
“Samples of blood taken from bald eagle chicks before they learn to fly show that legacy pollution, even contaminants banned decades ago, continue to harm Michigan’s natural environment,” said Sheri McWhirter from MLive.
An Illinois bill that would ban the use of forever chemicals is awaiting Gov. Pritzker’s signature. If signed into law, the plan would ban PFAS from cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products, and more, according to WAND News.
Investigators at Minnesota’s Fox9 looked into how long chemical giant 3M will pay for PFAS cleanup projects. “The state’s settlement money is projected to run out by 2027, but state regulators have long said any critical water projects would still be funded by 3M through an earlier agreement known as the 2007 consent order,” said Nathan O’Neal from Fox9.
According to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), a soybean-based firefighting foam from Cross Plains Solutions is expected to hit the market soon, competing with traditional foams that use PFAS. “There are at least 79 sites around Wisconsin contaminated by PFAS, and often the culprit is firefighting foams, according to the state Department of Natural Resources,” said Royce Podeszwa from WPR.
Wisconsin’s $111 billion budget was signed by Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday, July 2. WPR noted that the budget did not allocate funds for key conservation and environmental priorities, including the state’s land purchase program and PFAS remediation.
More PFAS news in case you missed it:
- From ProPublica: “Trump’s First EPA Promised to Crack Down on Forever Chemicals. His Second EPA Is Pulling Back.”
- “For decades, residents of the small city of Newburgh, New York, were unknowingly drinking water contaminated with toxic PFAS—also known as forever chemicals. The source turned out to be firefighting foam used on a nearby air base,” according to Science Friday.
- DuPont has agreed to settle a lawsuit for about $27 million after contaminating the water for the village of Hoosick Falls, NY, which was discovered in 2016.
- From Inside Climate News: “Illinois Communities Grapple With ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Their Drinking Water.”
Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:
New report shows PFAS contamination in 98% of waterways tested
Michigan triples ‘do not eat’ fish warnings as PFAS contamination concerns rise
Featured image: A worker’s gloved hand holds a test tube with a water sample. (Photo Credit: iStock)
