Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region. Check back for more PFAS news roundups every other week on our website.
New, more stringent PFAS guidelines in Michigan have nearly tripled “do not eat” advisories for fish in the state’s waterways, from 33 to 98 bodies of water. While environmentalists welcome the updated warnings, they also stress the need to prevent further contamination of the state’s water sources, according to Bridge Michigan.
Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services also released its updated “2025 Eat Safe Fish Guide,” providing county-specific recommendations for fish consumption. This guide incorporates new understanding of PFOS, a specific type of PFAS, which has been determined to be more toxic than previously believed. The state provides a free copy of the Eat Safe Fish Guide to every individual who purchases a fishing license.
In a recent proposal, Michigan lawmakers introduced the 2025 “Polluter Pay Package,” a legislative effort to overhaul the state’s pollution cleanup laws. This package aims to shift financial and legal responsibility for hazardous substances, like PFAS, directly onto polluters and strengthen cleanup requirements. The package also includes a provision to change the statute of limitations for pollution claims involving PFAS and other substances. According to Michigan Advance, victims can lose legal recourse if symptoms don’t appear until years after contamination but the new legislation would adopt the federal “discovery rule,” allowing lawsuits when the harm is identified.
Elsewhere, New York lawmakers are proposing a ban on nonstick cookware containing PFAS, such as Teflon, citing concerns over their link to health issues in children. Senate Bill S1767 would prohibit the manufacture, sale and use of cooking supplies containing Teflon, which is a kind of PFAS. According to reports, small amounts of these chemicals can be transferred into food from cookware. This proposal puts New York alongside other states aiming to restrict PFAS, despite industry claims of product safety.
Stillwater, Minnesota, is moving forward with a temporary $2.5 million PFAS treatment facility, with Market and Johnson Inc. beginning construction. Approved by the city council on June 3, this facility will use granulated activated carbon to treat water from one of two contaminated wells, serving as an interim solution until a permanent system is established. Meanwhile, Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) and other state officials attended a demonstration on May 30 in Lake Elmo of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems’ (GA-EMS) PERSES™ system, which is reported to destroy PFAS in water. GA-EMS says this system has been in commercial use for more than a decade and can destroy PFAS and other waste with 99% or greater efficiency.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio recently gave an update on its efforts to treat PFAS-contaminated water during a tour of two of its most contaminated treatment sites. While significant progress is being made, cleanup is expected to continue for some time due to the slow release of PFAS from soil, with three more treatment sites planned pending funding. This update comes as the Ohio River Basin Alliance released its Restoration and Protection Plan on June 5, which revealed that over 60 percent of assessed stream and lake miles in the region fail to meet water quality standards due to various pollutants, including PFAS.
More PFAS news in case you missed it:
- The pan-European GENESIS project has launched with a €55 million ($62.8 million) budget to promote sustainable chipmaking, focusing on incorporating eco-friendly materials and finding alternatives to PFAS-based components.
- Texas lawmakers recently bypassed multiple bills aimed at restricting PFAS in sewage, investigating health effects and prohibiting certain PFAS firefighting foams.
- Researchers have discovered world-record levels of PFAS contamination at Hollowman Lake, New Mexico, finding the chemicals in nearly every part of thre lake’s ecosystem.
- The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality received $5 million from Gov. Katie Hobbs, part of the American Rescue Plan Act funding, to continue investigating the spread of PFAS around the state.
- Morganfield, Kentucky, secured a $7 million loan from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority to construct a new filtration system designed to trap PFAS.
Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:
‘Forever chemicals’ found nationwide in Canada, CBC map shows
EPA Outlines New PFAS Strategy Amid Expert Concerns
Featured image: Fisherman catching fish with rod at riverside. (Photo Credit: iStock)[php function=”remove_swift_shortcodes”]