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Study: Michigan PFAS sites account for 31% in entire nation

Posted at 9:20 PM, May 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-06 21:20:29-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new study is shedding light on PFAS contamination around the country and the extent of it in Michigan.

Designed by Environmental Working Group, a new interactive map allows users to see where PFAS contamination has occurred and the extent. Thirty one percent of all sites in the country are in Michigan.

PFAS chemicals have previously been linked to weakened immune systems, thyroid disease, cancer and a multitude of other health problems.

Environmental activists say Michigan is at the forefront of tracking contamination. They say the map doesn't necessarily show PFAS as more prevalent in Michigan, simply that it is being discovered more in the state.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, says mapping out the data is important because it shows the extent of a growing problem in this country.

"This means this is a very serious  problem for us in the state," says Peters. "I believe that we will find other sites around the country, and that's what I focus on while talking to my colleagues here in the Senate. This is a national problem that we need to address, and we have to be very aggressive in addressing it."