“PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — State tests found unsafe levels of PFAS in fish in a lake near Wolverine Worldwide’s old House Street dump north of Grand Rapids four months ago, but officials never notified residents who eat the fish, Target 8 has found.
Residents around Freska Lake in Plainfield Township said they’re frustrated not only that Wolverine contaminated their fish, but also that the state didn’t tell them about it.
‘That is very concerning if they’ve known this long,’ said Bill Fix, who lives on the lake and learned of the tainted fish Thursday from Target 8. ‘We’ve been ice fishing. They should have told us on day one. Even if they didn’t know, if they had concerns they should have told us.’…
Emails released by the state through the Freedom of Information Act describe how three different agencies grappled with how to notify neighbors.
The state started testing fish from Freska Lake in late September after questions were raised by residents. The state put the testing on the fast track.
The Department of Natural Resources collected the fish, the Department of Environmental Quality sent them to the lab for testing and the Department of Health and Human Services determined if the fish were safe to eat.
By Nov. 1, tests found “problematic” levels of PFAS in Freska Lake’s bluegill, according to an email. They were bad enough to lead to a recommended advisory of no more than two bluegill meals a month…
The DEQ and DNR suggested DHHS help notify the public…
DHHS spokeswoman Angela Minicuci said the state re-tested the fish to confirm the results, got those results in December, then notified the resident who initially asked the fish to be tested.”
Read the full article by Ken Kolker.