A complete list of all programs within the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Community involvement and public participation are an essential part of EGLE’s mission, vision, and values.
SARA Title III establishes requirements regarding emergency planning and "Community Right-to-Know" reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals for federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as regulated facilities.
Resources and information on utilizing RRD's data exchange and the Inventory of Facilities.
An interactive map displaying contaminated sites throughout Michigan regulated under Parts 213, 201, and 211.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Water Well Viewer (WWV), is an interactive mapping system that displays water wells along with other information, such as wellhead protection areas, underground storage tanks, and sites of environmental contamination. Water well locations have been identified by address matching, the use of global positioning systems (GPS), and by legal descriptions.
This system allows water well drilling and pump installation contractors to submit water well records.
EGLE's interactive calendar is designed to provide timely information on decisions before the Director, proposed settlements of contested cases, administrative rules promulgation, public hearings, meetings and comment deadlines, and environmental conferences, workshops and training programs.
Anyone wishing to formally serve legal documents upon the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), or its officers or employees, may do so by the following methods.
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, smaller than 5mm (a grain of rice or smaller). They can come from intentionally made products, such as glitter, which is called a primary source, or from larger plastic items that have worn down over time, such as broken plastic containers, which are secondary sources. Microplastics can be found across the world, including in plants, animals, and people, as well as our physical environment. Because plastic does not easily break down in the environment, microplastics can build up in the environment for decades. They can be harmful to wildlife by blocking digestion, transferring other harmful chemicals via contact or ingestion, and cause physical damage. Similarly, there are concerns about the various human health risks posed by microplastics through ingestion and inhalation.
Microplastics have been found in every environment on Earth, with larger concentrations surrounding urban areas. Some microplastics sources are easy to identify, like Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) or factories, but others can be more difficult. For example, stormwater runoff is a major concern for transporting pollutants into our water systems, but it can be very difficult to pinpoint the start and finish points.
Many countries and states are beginning to address microplastics as a major concern. California for example has passed multiple bills directly related to microplastic pollution. Some other US states are looking to do the same, Michigan included. Numerous other countries and regions have planned, enacted, and implemented various types of actions regarding plastics, including microplastics.
Mitigation strategies focus on prevention to reduce plastic production, improve waste management (recycling, reuse, disposal), and promote sustainable alternatives. Technological methods such as various filtration, electrocoagulation, and magnetic extraction approaches have shown some promise for removing microplastics from water and waste treatment plants, but challenges in scale and full implementation persist. Addressing the issue fundamentally involves consumer behavior changes, waste management advancements, and the continued investigation into the long-term environmental and human health implications of microplastics. The need exists for standardized sample analyses and risk assessment frameworks. Specific data gaps exist concerning the environmental fate and transport of MPs, as well as their toxicity and health effects.
Call the Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) at 800-292-4706.
