It’s a curious acronym — PFAS — and it stands for a family of chemicals that’s in most homes and being detected in an increasing number of people’s water systems in Michigan and other states and provinces. “Forever Chemicals” is what PFAS, PFOA and PFOS are all known as because of how long it takes them to break down in people’s bodies and the environment. These groups of industrial chemicals are used in many non-stick household products, food packages and waterproofed outdoor clothing. And research is only beginning to determine the health effects and what, if any, treatment there might be.
What can people do to protect themselves and their families? How are federal, state and local governments responding? What responsibility does industry have? And what are the financial, medical and social costs?
Great Lakes Now’s coverage has explored these issues and more. Find our work and our partners’ reporting on this page.
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PFAS News Roundup: Minnesota requiring businesses to monitor, PFAS impact on COVID vaccine, new New York standards
Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
Minnesota pollution officials update impaired waters list
It’s the first time water bodies outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have made the list due to PFAS contamination. A PFAS compound known as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS, can accumulate in fish and potentially cause adverse health effects in people who consume them.
State of Michigan to avoid buying products containing PFAS
The group of about 4,000 toxic chemicals is used widely in a variety of products and manufacturing. Some rivers and drinking water sources in Michigan have been contaminated by PFAS.
PFAS News Roundup: Michigan airport under investigation, disagreement over Wisconsin state regulations
Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’
The plan is intended to restrict PFAS from being released into the environment, accelerate cleanup of PFAS-contaminated sites such as military bases and increase investments in research to learn more about where PFAS are found and how their spread can be prevented.
PFAS News Roundup: Michigan works on transparency, 3M could cost the Minnesota public billions, study recruitment in Michigan
Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
‘Something has to be done’: Living along Madison’s Starkweather Creek, one of Wisconsin’s most polluted waterways.
In 2019, Wisconsin’s Starkweather Creek contained higher levels of PFOA and PFOS — two more scrutinized types of PFAS — than any other waters the Department of Natural Resources tested that year. At the creek’s Fair Oaks Avenue crossing, the DNR detected levels of PFOS at 270 parts per trillion and PFOA at 43 ppt.
HBO Audience: John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” features the impact of PFAS on Michigan residents
PFAS- and PFOA-linked health issues are becoming an international crisis. HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” segment about the chemical contaminants featured some Michigan residents whose stories were told in the Great Lakes Now’s documentary “The Forever Chemicals.”
COLLABORATIONS
Since 2019, Great Lakes Now has partnered with MLive Media Group to bring audiences news and information about PFAS and drinking water. The collaboration began with the “Forever Chemicals documentary and these MLive articles about the financial cost to local communities who need to deal with the contaminations. The project was supported by the Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York.
Oscoda residents say ‘enough’ after 9 years of PFAS with no cleanup plan
Representatives from a number of Michigan communities—Oscoda, Flint, Detroit and Belmont among them—gathered on Wednesday to call on the U.S. Air Force for action on PFAS cleanup.
The Forever Chemicals: MLive Reporters and Great Lakes Now engage Sustainable Brands 2019 audience
After a documentary screening at the Sustainable Brands 2019 conference in Detroit, Great Lakes Now hosted an audience discussion with the MLive Media Group reporters who have been leading the coverage of the PFAS issue in Michigan.
PFAS pollution already costing Michigan communities millions
Michigan residents may be in line to pay for the fixes to PFAS contamination for years to come.
Digital Credits
“The Forever Chemicals” documentary was produced by Rob Green and Sandra Svoboda.
Digital Designers: Shelby Jouppi, Mila Murray
Digital Video for “The Forever Chemicals” documentary: Angela Brayman, Marie Gould, Rob Green, Zosette Guir, Matt Ilas, William Kubota, Sandra Svoboda, Jordan Wingrove, Ernie Zinger
With additional production support and partnership from MLive Media Group and the Ravitch Fiscal Reporting program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York.