Jeffrey catches up with Rick Welsh, MSc DABT, Director, ASTi Environmental, Brighton, MI. They discuss how the Michigan PFAS Standards ended up so low, the impact that is having on businesses, municipalities, and others, and Rick covers the findings of a study ASTI Environmental did in coordination with MMA, Michigan Manufacturers Association. To hear Rick and Jeffrey’s interview on this topic click play on the podcast below:
In their discussion they cover these questions:
Can you, in everyday people language, tell me how the Michigan Standards ended up so low?
What are the other options right now for Michigan?
What will be the future cost implications for Michigan Municipalities and Business for compliance?
USEPA standards exist – Michigan is promulgating their own lower standards. However, the USEPA has produced a health-protective Drinking Water Health Advisory. They will next produce their Drinking Water Standard (called Maximum Contaminant Levels or MCLs). Why not just use the USEPA values; almost all of the other states are using them?
The Michigan standards are too low – MMA sponsored ASTi to prepare a PFAS Review Report. The report showed the proposed Michigan MCLs should be at least a couple of orders of magnitude higher, more like a part-per-billion instead of a part-per-trillion.
The cost of compliance for Michigan business is going to be staggering – One minor example is the (as covered by Michigan Business Network earlier this month) “Michigan PFAS Action Response Team awards $2.5 million in grants for municipal airport PFAS testing”. Would this be money better spent on other more pressing issues?
That said, the cost of compliance for Michigan Municipalities is projected to be in the billions. Money they simply do not have.
The Michigan standards are too low – MMA sponsored ASTi to prepare a PFAS Review Report. The report showed the proposed Michigan MCLs should be at least a couple of orders of magnitude higher, more like a part-per-billion instead of a part-per-trillion.
Dr. Michael Dourson and Dr. Ed Calabrese were the two other authors/toxicologists for this report. Dr. Dourson received paper of the year award from the Society of Toxicology for his analysis of the PFAS human cancer dosing study in people.
And, wastewater treatment plant “sludges” is what I was trying to think of. Cost for disposal of the sludge as a hazardous waste is certainly in the 100’s of millions, if not more. Money municipalities certainly do not have.
