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Michigan has a long history of toxic environmental exposures, with residents facing repeated exposure to pollutants due to governmental failures. Over the years, scientists and citizen sleuths have played a crucial role in exposing pollution and advocating for change. One notable example is the exposure of pollution from a century-old Michigan tannery, which led to a $3 million cleanup settlement. Despite these efforts, Michigan continues to face challenges with weak pollution cleanups, as industries opt for containing pollution instead of thoroughly addressing it. This has led to concerns about the health and future of Michiganders, especially in areas like River Rouge, which is one of the most polluted areas in the state.
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What You'll Learn
Citizen sleuths expose a century-old factory
Michigan has a long history of toxic environmental exposures, with residents repeatedly exposed to pollutants due to governmental policies and systems failing to protect their health and human rights. Michigan's waterways have been severely impacted by human activities, with factories dumping chemical pollutants into lakes and the waterways that flow into them, such as the Cuyahoga River and the Detroit River.
In the case of the century-old tannery in Rockford, Michigan, citizen sleuths played a crucial role in exposing pollution and holding the responsible parties accountable. The Rogue River, located near the tannery, was found to have fish and foam carrying chemicals used in the tannery's operations. This discovery gained the attention of journalist Garret Ellison, who had been covering PFAS contamination in the state. Ellison's investigations revealed that the House Street contamination was likely the source of distant pollution at a nearby military facility, which had no history of using the chemicals in question. The citizens' efforts in uncovering this pollution helped win a $3 million cleanup settlement and fuelled a national debate over nonstick chemical contamination.
The actions of citizen sleuths in Michigan have had significant implications for environmental protection and justice. Their work has shed light on the toxic legacy of industrial activities and the failure of government policies to adequately address pollution. This has resulted in increased awareness and scrutiny, leading to cleanup efforts and legal battles to hold polluters accountable.
However, Michigan's weak pollution clean-up laws have hindered efforts to hold polluters accountable and protect communities. Researchers from Michigan State University and the nonprofit FLOW (For Love of Water) have recommended changing Michigan law to make it more difficult for polluters to avoid cleaning up their mess. They argue that the current legal framework, which allows polluters to contain pollution rather than thoroughly clean it up, ultimately imposes costs and risks on the public.
The story of the century-old factory in Michigan highlights the important role that citizens can play in exposing environmental injustices and holding responsible parties accountable. It also underscores the need for stronger legal frameworks and policies to support comprehensive pollution clean-up efforts and protect the health and well-being of communities.
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Michigan's toxic environmental exposures
Michigan has a long history of toxic environmental exposures and environmental injustice. Over the last century, the people of Michigan have been repeatedly exposed to toxic environmental pollutants, with governmental policies and systems failing to protect the health and human rights of the community.
One of the most notable examples of toxic environmental exposure in Michigan is the Flint water crisis, where lead pipes corroded into the water systems, contaminating the drinking water with dangerous levels of lead. This crisis has had devastating impacts on the health and well-being of Flint residents, particularly children, who are extremely vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead exposure. In addition to the Flint water crisis, Michigan has also faced other significant environmental challenges, including the contamination of dairy cattle with polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in freshwater lakes and rivers.
The state's industrial activities have also contributed significantly to air pollution, particularly in the Detroit Metro district and other major cities. Additionally, there have been recent incidents of hexavalent chromium spillage into the Huron River, further exacerbating the state's water pollution issues. Michigan's water sources have also been impacted by human activities in the basin of Lake Erie, with factories dumping chemical pollutants into the lake and its waterways, such as the Cuyahoga River and the Detroit River.
In response to these environmental challenges, researchers and community members in Michigan have taken action to address the toxic exposures and advocate for policy changes. Citizen sleuths have played a crucial role in exposing pollution from century-old factories, and their discoveries have fueled a national debate over nonstick chemical contamination. Additionally, the Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study (MI-CARES) has been initiated by cancer epidemiologists and environmental health researchers to understand the health impacts of these exposures and improve the health and wellness of Michiganders.
The Environmental Health Bureau (EHB) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is also working to reduce, eliminate, or prevent harm from environmental hazards using scientific data and research. They offer various resources, including online education and training, to help residents and communities minimize their exposure to toxic substances and protect their health.
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Pollution in the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—span 750 miles from west to east and are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are a crucial source of drinking water and support ecosystems and wildlife. They have also historically been used for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities and serve as an important mode of transportation for goods.
However, the Great Lakes have been threatened by pollution from human activities. In the late 1960s, the shores of the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Erie, were littered with junk and untreated waste, endangering fish and other wildlife and making swimming hazardous. Industrial waste and sewage have also contaminated the lakes, with chemicals such as mercury and pesticides like DDT found in the water.
Efforts have been made to address pollution in the Great Lakes. By the mid-1970s, clean-up efforts had reduced industrial waste in the Detroit River enough to permit the reintroduction of brown trout, a fish that cannot survive in polluted water. In 1969, Michigan became the first state to ban DDT, a pesticide that was poisoning rivers, lakes, and wildlife. Citizen activists have also played a crucial role in exposing pollution and holding industries accountable, such as in the case of a century-old tannery in Michigan that was found to be polluting nearby water sources.
Despite these efforts, pollution remains a concern in the Great Lakes. Michigan law allows polluters to avoid costly clean-up efforts by containing pollution through "institutional controls," such as capping polluted soil. This approach saddles future generations with financial, social, and health risks and has been criticized as insufficient to protect the health and human rights of communities impacted by pollution.
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EGLE's role in pollution prevention
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) plays a crucial role in pollution prevention in the state. EGLE is committed to safeguarding Michigan's environment while also supporting economic growth and development. The organization employs over 1,300 professionals, including scientists, engineers, geologists, and toxicologists, who work tirelessly to protect the state's natural resources.
One of EGLE's key roles in pollution prevention is providing technical assistance and expertise to businesses and individuals. EGLE conducts approximately 30,000 site visits and inspections annually to help identify and implement pollution prevention measures. By working closely with businesses, EGLE helps them become more efficient, save money, and create safer working environments for their employees. EGLE also educates and encourages Michiganders to make daily choices that prevent pollution, protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.
The Materials Management Division within EGLE oversees solid and hazardous waste programs, radioactive materials management, and energy programs. This division plays a critical role in implementing strategies to support pollution prevention and the beneficial reuse of waste materials. They coordinate with various stakeholders, including nuclear power plants and local emergency responders, to ensure Michigan is prepared for any potential radioactive material release.
Community involvement and public participation are also essential to EGLE's mission. They provide public information meetings, conferences, and specialty training to educate the public and stakeholders about environmental protection and pollution prevention practices. EGLE's interactive calendar keeps the public informed about upcoming decisions, settlements of contested cases, public hearings, and environmental conferences, fostering transparency and engagement.
Additionally, EGLE's Sustainable Development Unit promotes collaborative and voluntary solutions to support a healthy and sustainable environment, ensuring a better quality of life for all, both now and in the future. By working with partners at all levels, from local communities to federal agencies, EGLE strives to protect Michigan's environment and public health while fostering economic growth.
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River Rouge's environmental power grab
River Rouge, a city neighbouring Detroit, Michigan, has been the site of a significant environmental power struggle. The River Rouge Power Plant, operated by DTE Electric, has contributed heavily to the region's toxic legacy. Located in a low-income community primarily comprised of people of colour, the plant lacked modern pollution controls and was designated as "failing to meet federal air quality standards" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In 2016, community members, political leaders, and clean air advocates demanded a plan to lower sulfur dioxide levels in the area. As a result, one of the plant's two coal-fired boilers was permanently shut down by the end of that year. In 2021, the last unit of the River Rouge Power Plant was closed.
The settlement with DTE Energy also included a commitment to provide $5.5 million for clean electric school and transit buses and $2 million for other community-based projects to improve air quality in River Rouge, Ecorse, and the most polluted ZIP code in Michigan, 48217 in southwest Detroit. This outcome demonstrated the potential of grassroots activism supported by aggressive litigation to address critical environmental and health issues.
The River Rouge community also faced a threat from the Trump administration, which attempted to stand between residents and the benefits they had secured after decades of pollution. This power grab was stopped by the community, with support from organisations like Sierra Club and Earthjustice, showcasing their determination to protect their health and environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Some examples of pollution in Michigan include the corrosion of lead pipes in the Flint water crisis, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in freshwater lakes and rivers, and industrial air pollution in the Detroit Metro district.
Scientists have helped to expose pollution and hold polluters accountable. For example, citizen sleuths exposed pollution from a century-old tannery in Michigan, resulting in a $3 million cleanup settlement.
Michigan law allows polluters to avoid spending money on cleanups by limiting public exposure to contamination through institutional controls, such as capping polluted soil. Weak pollution cleanups and a lack of government action have also been identified as challenges to stopping pollution in Michigan.
