Michigan Files Lawsuit Against 3M, DuPont and others for PFAS Contamination

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) today announced that it has established new water quality values (WQVs) for the PFAS compounds Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS) and Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA). PFHxS and PFNA are members of the larger group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel continued her push for accountability against those who expose residents to hazardous materials and contaminate Michigan’s environment today by filing a lawsuit in Kent County Circuit Court against a company that left Michigan after contaminating multiple properties in West and Southwest Michigan with PFAS and other hazardous materials.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has established a new Water Quality Value (WQV) for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and has revised the existing WQV for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Following the risk assessment method provided in Rule 323.1057 (“Rule 57”), a PFBS concentration of 670,000 parts per trillion (ppt; or nanograms per liter) was set for surface water to be broadly protective of human health and 8,300 ppt for surface water specifically protected as a drinking water source. The revised human health values for PFOA are 170 ppt for surface water (from 12,000 ppt previously) and 66 ppt for surface water protected as a drinking water source (from 420 ppt, previously).

These guides can help Michiganders plan their fish consumption to minimize exposure to chemicals that can build up in fish, while still getting all the health benefits of eating fish. The regional Eat Safe Fish Guides provide guidelines for eating locally caught fish. Guidelines are based on levels of chemicals found in the portions of fish that people eat – typically the filets. Test results from the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories are used to determine what is safe for people to eat over the long-term. There are many health benefits to eating fish and the Eat Safe Fish Guides help individuals choose the fish that are best for them and their families.

The updated groundwater rule builds on rules promulgated by EGLE and approved by the Environmental Rules Review Committee in 2020 that established PFAS standards for safe water at public water supplies.

MPART led the way in the state's PFAS response in 2021.