KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The City of Kalamazoo has issued a no contact advisory for the Kalamazoo River, over concerns that Pfizer released too much of a chemical into a dedicated drain.
According to the City, Pfizer notified them an estimated 1,057 gallons of methylene chloride were released within the process area of the manufacturing facility located on Portage Road.
They don't know the exact amount of the colorless liquid that was discharged but it was put into a dedicated drain that runs to the Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant for treatment. The plant is designed and permitted to treat up to 291 gallons per day of methylene chloride.
Because of this, the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department, in cooperation with the City of Kalamazoo Department of Public Services, are advising everyone to avoid contact with the Kalamazoo River from Paterson Street Bridge in the city of Kalamazoo to the D Ave Avenue Bridge in Cooper Township.
In a news release provided Wednesday, Health Officer Jim Rutherford said, “We decided to issue a No Contact Advisory for the stretch of river impacted by the methylene chloride release as a precautionary measure. This advisory will remain in effect until further investigation and sampling indicates that there is no risk to public health.”
The city added that sampling of the Kalamazoo River within the identified area is ongoing and will continue as long as necessary until results can be analyzed and the advisory lifted.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
