Waste
Firefighters, environmental advocates push for safer foam
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Michigan has disposed of more than 50,000 gallons of potentially harmful firefighting foam since 2019. Firefighters and environmental advocates say that isn’t enough.
Contaminants
Advocates push ban of chemicals in food packaging
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Some lawmakers and environmental advocates want to ban chemicals in food packaging that they say threatens the health of Michiganders.
Water
Drinking water filters eyed as better option to testing in Michigan schools and day care centers
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Children’s health advocates are pushing to install drinking water filters in Michigan schools and child care centers to protect them from lead poisoning.
Contaminants
Michigan expanding PFAS testing capacity
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The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is expanding its testing capacity for monitoring a family of so-called “forever chemicals” called PFAS.
Echo
Guilty plea expected in Allegheny River pollution case
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A former supervisor of a Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority plant is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge for allegedly ordering employees to discharge sludge into the Allegheny River.
Contaminants
Michigan polluter ordered to jail for illegally discharging untreated waste
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By Eric Freedman
A federal judge has sentenced a Flint, Michigan, polluter to one year behind bars for illegally discharging more than 47 million gallons of untreated waste into the city’s sewer system. Robert Massey, the 70-year-old president and owner of family-owned Oil Chem Inc., pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act over an 8½ year period between 2007 and 2015. “That amounts to over 72 Olympic-size swimming pools. The crime was driven by greed. Oil Chem received over a million dollars to dispose of the (material),” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its sentencing memorandum to U.S. District Judge Stephanie Davis.
Contaminants
Tsunamis caused by air pressure could resuspend Great Lakes contaminants
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Meteotsunamis also threaten the ecosystem by increasing erosion and releasing contaminants within sediments.
Contaminants
Massive filter keeps Detroit River contaminants in place
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Thanks to a spongy M&M-like technology, contaminated soil in the Detroit River downstream of the MacArthur Bridge has been contained.
Areas of Concern
Cuyahoga cleanup means it’s safer to eat Cuyahoga fish
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It is one step in a decades long cleanup after the river and its fires helped spark environmental awareness nationwide.
Contaminants
Firefighting chemical linked to water safety concerns
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A firefighting foam has been linked to a group of chemicals known to be harmful to infants, toddlers and pregnant women. But it is still kept on hand because firefighters say they don’t have effective alternatives.