JANUARY 28, 2022

LANSING - The Great Lakes PFAS Action Network – a coalition of people impacted by toxic contamination  –  is deeply concerned by the discovery of toxic PFAS contaminants in the livestock of a Livingston County farm that sells its beef regionally (prompting a consumption advisory to be issued). The contamination stems from biosolids, which are wastewater treatment by-products that were applied to crops that feed the cattle. The biosolids originated from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Wixom.

It signals a potential broadening of the scope of PFAS concern across Michigan, where there are approximately 7,000 sites at which biosolids have been used as fertilizers.  GLPAN commends the impacted farm family in this case for its swift actions to help to limit exposures and offers its support to the family in dealing with the effects of contamination that the family did not cause.  

 "We know there is a PFAS contamination crisis in our state, and it is unfortunately no surprise that food and crops can be impacted, ” said Tony Spaniola, co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network  “Virtually all of us are impacted by PFAS, and that’s why we need to continue to ramp up state and federal efforts to clean up and rein in the use of these harmful chemicals."

“We extend our gratitude to Grostic Cattle Co. for its courageous efforts in this very difficult time,” said Spaniola.  “Our state is a better and safer place because of these efforts.”

The consumption advisory is reminiscent of a 1970s crisis during which around 9 million Michigan residents ate food contaminated with the toxic fire retardant PBB that was accidentally mixed into cattle feed at a chemical plant in St. Louis, Michigan. Spaniola’s father, Bus, was a state representative during that time and spearheaded legislative efforts to regulate PBB and clean up Michigan’s food chain.