LANSING — The EPA last week rolled back regulations that established stricter national limits for PFAS in drinking water.
Experts say that Michigan remains ahead of the curve in PFAS regulation, but residents should still exercise caution to avoid ingestion.
PFAS are a family of thousands of chemicals sometimes known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their resistance to breaking down in nature.
They pose numerous health risks, increasing the chances of developing thyroid disease, high blood pressure and some types of cancer.
The EPA’s new policies eliminate some federal regulations entirely and delay the enforcement of others until 2031.
“That means that for the next six years, hundreds of millions of people could be drinking contaminated water,” said Sandy Wynn-Stelt, co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network.
Abby Hendershott, director of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, says that the state regulations remain in place.
“We in Michigan, at least have state standards that are still enforceable, still effective, we can still regulate with those standards,” she said.
Wynn-Stelt says Michigan’s regulations remain stricter than loosened federal limits.
“While some states like Michigan are way ahead of the game in that we have already tested all of our municipal water systems and put standards in place, there’s many, many other states in the country that haven’t even started testing for this,” she said.
Hendershott says her biggest concerns are the consumption of contaminated food or water, while contact with the skin is less severe.
“Absorption through the skin is not the major route of exposure,” she said. “It’s going to be drinking it and or eating it, so, you know, through fish contaminated, or other things.”
More information on the health risks of PFAS and what to watch for can be found with MPART here.
Jordan Bailey, a toxicologist with MDHHS, advises people to watch out for thick foam forming on the shores of lakes or rivers.
“Even if there’s not a PFAS source near that water body and you’ve come in contact with foam, we have a blanket guidance that you should rinse off and really avoid that foam contact in the first place,” she said.
Municipal water sources are tested quarterly for unsafe levels of PFAS, while those on well water can find testing information with the state or with private services.
