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Local News

PFAS found at Viking Corporation in Hastings; not found in any drinking water source

A Barry Eaton District Health Department media release is reporting the Michigan DEQ has found the Viking Corporation in Hastings has high levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

 

The PFAS were found in shallow groundwater environmental monitoring wells, not in a drinking water source, the release said. Currently, there are no known drinking water sources in the flow of the groundwater found to contain PFAS.

 

The Viking site as well as nearby properties use the City of Hastings municipal water as their drinking water source. Municipal water from the City of Hastings was tested for PFAS in April of 2018, and PFAS were not found.

 

“We’re aware of the situation and are staying in close contact with both MDEQ and the Barry-Eaton District Health Department,” City Manager Jeff Mansfield said. “We have no reason to believe this poses any threat at all to the city’s water supply system.  On the contrary, we’re fortunate to have a public water system serving this area.”

 

Colette Scrimger, Health Officer at BEDHD said: “At this time, we do not believe that the drinking water in this area is affected by this area of PFAS contamination, and the risk to the public is very, very low,”  

 

 PFAS were detected on the Viking property, and in lower concentrations in neighboring properties. The corporation is currently working with MDEQ to further investigate PFAS contamination and determine the next steps. Some types of PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) may be harmful to human health when ingested (eaten or drank), the release said.

 

The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) is a multi-agency action team to investigate and address PFAS contamination in Michigan. To see the results of local PFAS testing, visit MPART’s website at https://bit.ly/2E5SUFr. For those with a private well who are interested in testing their water for PFAS, information on sampling and testing can be found at the MPART’s website at https://bit.ly/2E6Mupx.

 

PFAS are thought to be harmful to health only when ingested. Although more research is needed, some PFAS may lower the chance of getting pregnant, increase the chance of high blood pressure during pregnancy, and increase the chance of thyroid disease, increase cholesterol levels, change immune response, and increase the chance of cancer, especially kidney and testicular cancers.

 

PFAS have many industrial applications, including waterproofing and firefighting foam. The source of PFAS for this site is firefighting foam used between 1998 or 1999 through 2001.

 

The Viking site manufactured and tested fire suppression equipment, which involved the use of fire-fighting foam containing PFAS from the late 1990’s through 2001. Most companies have stopped using PFOS and PFOA.

 

For more information on PFAS, visit MPART’s website at https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/.  The Barry-Eaton District Health Department can be reached at (269) 945-9516, select 3, and then 5.

 

 

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