A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers is backing a state pilot program to test children for PFAS exposure in counties with known contamination linked to industrial or military activity.
Steve Carmody reports for Michigan Public.
In short:
- Michigan Senate and House bills propose free PFAS blood testing for children under 11 as of 2012 who lived in parts of Kent, Ottawa, or Kalamazoo counties with contaminated water.
- The state may allocate $500,000 in its next budget to fund the pilot program, which includes counseling and data collection to support future public health decisions.
- Lawmakers are responding to concerns that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will delay or rescind federal limits on several PFAS chemicals, potentially reducing regulatory protection.
Key quote:
“We don’t know how many kids will be needed to get the testing done. But we do know there is a dramatic need."
— State Senator Mark Huizenga (R-Walker)
Why this matters:
Michigan has documented hundreds of PFAS hotspots, many near military bases and industrial sites where the chemicals were used in firefighting foam or manufacturing. In affected communities, residents often unknowingly drank contaminated water for years. Children are especially vulnerable because their bodies are still developing and their exposure relative to body weight is higher than adults. Although the U.S. EPA has begun regulating some PFAS chemicals, its recent proposal to delay compliance and reconsider limits for others is raising concerns. Without strong federal safeguards, local and state-level efforts like Michigan’s proposed testing program may become the frontline defense in identifying and managing exposure.
