Looking at the interactive map created by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) illustrating PFAS contamination in the U.S.A., one particular state immediately pops out. In the state of Michigan, there are a high number of dots (representing PFAS contamination sites) clustered together in tight proximity.
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, the image alone of the PFAS contamination map doesn’t tell the whole story. Although Michigan has been no stranger to water contamination issues over the course of the past decade, there’s more going on when it comes to PFAS contamination sites than meets the eye.
A recent Michigan Live article explains the reason why Michigan has more PFAS sites than any other state—and it’s probably not the reason you might expect. As noted in the article, Michigan has such a high number of PFAS sites because the state has been actively looking to identify them—something most states are not doing.
The article quotes the lead of Michigan’s PFAS Action and Response Team who says they’ve taken “the most comprehensive approach of any state in the country.” That includes testing “all public drinking water supplies, all schools, public industrial wastewater discharges and many lakes and streams” for PFAS contamination.
While the EWG map might make it seem on the surface like Michigan has a bigger PFAS problem than most other states, the reality is that they are just ahead of everyone else when it comes to addressing the problem. Many states still don’t even know how wide-reaching their PFAS drinking water contamination problem is yet. Which means, they’re that much further away from working toward a solution.
The Michigan Live article notes that, “Within a year, Michigan expects to have enforceable drinking water standards for multiple types of PFAS among other regulatory changes that, officials said, increase protections for residents.”
