The Great Lakes PFAS Summit, held virtually by the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) from December 5 to 7, attracted more than 1,900 participants from 45 states and 12 countries.
In addition to highlighting prospects for collaboration on solutions to address PFAS contamination in Michigan and around the world, the largest PFAS technical conference to date also presented the most recent research on these contaminants.
An executive order created the multi-state agency MPART organization to enable coordination in putting a response to PFAS contamination into action.
PFAS, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, are a significant class of synthetic chemicals that have been used in manufacturing, firefighting, and hundreds of everyday household and consumer products worldwide during the past century.
These substances are persistent, which means they don’t degrade and can build up over time in both the environment and the body.
Since 2017, Michigan has been looking into PFAS pollution throughout the state. According to MPART, there are 232 sites in the state where PFAS pollution is known to be affecting the groundwater and, in some cases, the drinking water.
Michigan tested each of its public drinking water sources for the first time in the country in 2018. This is equivalent to about 75% of the state’s population.
Approximately 1.2 million houses with residential wells are being assessed for PFAS concerns as a result of ongoing groundwater and site investigations by the state.
Source: State of Michigan
