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Lawmakers plan to address PFAS in products, support for impacted communities and more
A group of lawmakers and advocates gathered in Lansing Tuesday to announce the anticipated rollout of a large set of bills targeting toxic “forever chemicals,” which have long plagued Michigan’s drinking water, soil and air. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made substances, often byproducts of manufacturing, that pose threats to public health. The Michigan […]
Pentagon to halt use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS as cleanup costs mount
WASHINGTON — Battered by years of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and environmental advocates, the Department of Defense will stop purchasing PFAS-containing firefighting foam later this year and phase it out entirely in 2024. The replacement for Aqueous Film Forming Foam has yet to be determined, and advocates are frustrated it’s taken so long to halt […]
EPA proposes new rule to crack down on PFAS, forever chemicals in our water
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday announced its proposed maximum contaminant levels — MCLs– for six types of toxic PFAS in drinking water and acknowledged that no amount of these compounds is safe. “EPA anticipates if fully implemented the rule will prevent tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses or deaths,” the agency wrote […]
Nessel reaches $3.2M settlement in first PFAS case
The first settlement has been reached in Attorney General Dana Nessel’s ongoing legal fight against companies that have released toxic “forever chemicals” across Michigan, amounting to more than $3.2 million plus future costs incurred by cleanup efforts. Nessel filed an October 2020 lawsuit in circuit court alleging that Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, a plastic […]
Nessel files suit against paper company for PFAS contamination in St. Clair County
Updated, 1:06 p.m., 12/22/22 Attorney General Dana Nessel announced a lawsuit Tuesday addressing the release of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by a paper manufacturer in St. Clair County. The lawsuit seeks costs and damages from Domtar Industries Inc., a paper manufacturing company that formerly operated in Port Huron, and runs several mills in other states […]
Nessel files suit against company over PFAS contamination in West Michigan
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday filed a suit against FKI Hardware, Inc. seeking compliance and damages from the company after contaminating multiple properties with PFAS and other hazardous materials. According to the Michigan Department of the Attorney General, FKI Hardware, Inc., the successor to the Keeler Brass Co., contaminated multiple properties in West […]
Sen. Peters stresses need for action in Michigan on PFAS during hearing at MSU
With 224 sites in Michigan, including several military bases, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters called on federal authorities to be more responsive to addressing community concerns over contamination by toxic “forever chemicals.” “Many communities have been waiting far too long for any kind of meaningful action,” Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) said Monday during a hearing at Michigan […]
Nessel, 18 AGs urge U.S. Senate to pass federal PFAS action bill
Attorney General Dana Nessel and a coalition of 18 other attorneys general are calling upon upon a U.S. Senate committee to take swift action to improve federal PFAS standards. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of toxic “forever chemicals” known to cause harm to human health, and can be found in drinking water, […]
EPA: Two types of PFAS far more toxic than previously understood
The EPA released data Tuesday that suggests two types of PFAS are more toxic than previously understood, which could trigger a drastic reduction in what the agency considers acceptable amounts in drinking water. The data showed that PFOA and PFOS were found to cause health problems at much lower reference doses by thousands of times. The […]
Whitmer bans state government from purchasing products containing PFAS
With an executive directive issued Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan became the first state in the country to limit procurement on PFAS-containing products by state agencies. Effective immediately, Executive Directive 2021-08 prohibits the state of Michigan from purchasing products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) unless no alternative is available. “PFAS are dangerous, man-made […]