Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.
Marc Messina, MessinaM@Michigan.gov or 517-219-2394.
BASF Northworks Wyandotte (BASF NW) is a chemical manufacturing facility located at 1609 Biddle Avenue. PFAS compounds were detected from BASF NW discharges to the publicly owned treatment works (POTW) and to the Detroit River.
In 2020, BASF NW and EGLE conducted a groundwater investigation and detected PFOS, PFOA, and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), in the groundwater at the site in the vicinity of the three extraction well fields that are mandated by a State of Michigan Consent Decree since 1985/86, as well as a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Order on Consent since 1994, that requires BASF NW to prevent discharge of contaminated groundwater to the Detroit River.
The facility is subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Corrective Action, and is an EPA Region 5 lead RCRA Corrective Action site. EGLE works closely with the EPA on cleanup and is the lead on PFAS issues.
BASF NW borders the Detroit River in the Downriver Area below Ecorse Creek. An extraction well system, put in place by a Consent Decree, is currently functioning to keep contaminated groundwater from reaching the Detroit River. The EPA's Consent Decree requires BASF NW to prevent contaminated groundwater from discharging to the Detroit River.
The extraction system has been running for over 35 years. Extracted groundwater is treated and discharged to the publicly owned treatment works (POTW).
The city of Wyandotte's drinking water intake is immediately downstream of BASF NW. Detectable levels of PFOS, and PFHxS were present in a sample collected in August 2019. Ten subsequent sampling events through June 2020 did not identify PFAS at detectable levels in raw or finished drinking water.
Content posted November 2022.
The area is supplied by municipal water by the city of Wyandotte. There are no known residential wells in the area. In August of 2019, city of Wyandotte's drinking water intake, which is located immediately downstream of BASF, was tested and had detectable levels of PFOS, and PFHxS. Ten subsequent sampling events conducted through June 2020 did not identify PFAS at detectable levels in raw or finished drinking water from the intake. Routine monitoring of the drinking water intake and/or finished water are ongoing.
EGLE Water Resources Division is currently working with BASF NW on an Administrative Consent Order to remedy the PFAS exceedances at Outfall 001. It is expected to be signed in late 2022. EGLE and EPA are in the process of reviewing the 30% design for the comprehensive groundwater remedy and the work plan for addressing PFAS contamination in the short-term.
