The contamination of Michigan’s water supply by chemical substances commonly found in fabric treatments, soaps, firefighting foam and other products took center stage on Capitol Hill last week.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that break down very slowly in the environment, are highly soluble and easily transfer through soil to groundwater.

The latest data released earlier this month from the state shows there are 62 confirmed PFAS sites in Michigan.

Sandy Wynn-Stelt, a Belmont resident, lives in one of the areas that has been under scrutiny for PFAS contamination from waste linked to Wolverine World Wide, Inc. Wynn-Stelt testified before a congressional subcommittee in D.C. last week about how PFAS contamination has affected her family’s health.

“The bottom line is these manufacturers made and used these chemicals,” Wynn-Stelt told MLive. “They really need to step up and clean it up.... They literally made billions in profits from this."

Wynn-Stelt is sharing her story with CMF members as a speaker at the Green and Blue Network’s breakout session at CMF’s Annual Conference in Traverse City this October.

She will be joined by Robert Delaney, defense and state memorandum of agreement coordinator for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Delaney co-authored a 2012 internal MDEQ report warning of PFAS contamination in our environment and the dangers it presents. His work provides a road map for addressing the PFAS contamination crisis.

Earlier this year, Delaney shared information with the Green and Blue Network as the CMF learning community has been diving into deep discussion around the health and environmental issue statewide.

Delaney said that PFAS exposure is associated with many serious diseases including types of cancer, thyroid disease, preeclampsia, immunity issues and more.

For Wynn-Stelt the health effects have been devastating. MLive reports her “blood tested at 750 times the national average for PFOS, one type of the chemical linked to cancer, thyroid and kidney disease and several other adverse health effects. Her husband died of a condition that may be linked to it.”

Delaney has shared with CMF members that foundations can get involved in finding solutions to the PFAS threat by supporting education and data gathering as he points to a lack of awareness, research and urgency.

“Through a robust effort, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy [EGLE] tested municipal water sources. Its data showed more than 1.5 million people in Michigan have been drinking water with some level of PFAS contamination,” Melissa Damaschke, program officer, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation said. “’Do not eat’ fish advisories have been issued for some of our state's rivers and lakes after PFAS chemicals were found in fish tissue. It makes us wonder, is PFAS the DDT [an insecticide] of the 21st century? As environmental funders, we want to protect the health of people and our natural resources, including the Great Lakes.”

The GBN will continue the conversation at Annual Conference with CMF members, taking a closer look at the impact PFAS has on public health and the role that government and philanthropy can play in addressing these issues in the session Leveraging Partnerships to Address PFAS in Our Water.

Meanwhile on the state level, work continues through the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) which builds on previous work to research, identify, recommend and implement PFAS response actions throughout the state. 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement last week about PFAS contamination following the testimony of Steve Sliver, executive director of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, at the congressional hearing. 

“I’m pleased to see the committee focusing on this critical issue and I appreciate the continued leadership from Michigan’s congressional delegation on this evolving issue," Whitmer said. "Michigan has and will continue to be a leader in identifying PFAS contamination and holding responsible parties accountable, but we need additional federal resources to support continued testing and cleanup of PFAS in Michigan."

Want more?

Check out the state’s PFAS resources.