Helena Joyce
Wolverine World Wide Inc., a $2.4 billion global corporation and the maker of popular shoe brands like Hush Puppies, has been at the centre of a water contamination crisis in its hometown of Rockford, Michigan. The company's former tannery in Rockford and a waste dump in Belmont have been found to be the source of pollution, with contaminants including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). PFAS, a family of long-lasting chemicals used by Wolverine to waterproof its shoes, has been linked to serious health issues and certain types of cancers. The contamination has affected groundwater, leading to investigations, cleanup efforts, and legal settlements. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Michigan's EGLE are coordinating responses, with Wolverine also facing lawsuits and agreeing to settlements to address the environmental and health impacts of its pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Wolverine World Wide Inc. |
| Location | Rockford, Kent County, Michigan |
| Source of Pollution | Former tannery in Rockford and a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont |
| Contaminants | Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) |
| Impact | Groundwater pollution, contaminated drinking water, health risks for residents |
| Response | Investigation, cleanup efforts, water filters provided, legal settlements, remediation plans |
| Responsible Agencies | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) |
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What You'll Learn
PFAS-polluted drinking water in Michigan
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemical compounds that do not break down in the environment and accumulate in our bodies. They are known to have serious health effects and have been detected in the drinking water of nearly 2 million Michiganders. PFAS contamination in Michigan has been linked to Wolverine World Wide, a $2.4 billion global corporation and the maker of Hush Puppies shoes.
In the 1950s and '60s, Wolverine World Wide used PFAS in its Scotchgard coating to waterproof its iconic Hush Puppies shoe line. The company's former tannery in Rockford, Michigan, and a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont have been identified as sources of pollution, affecting groundwater and drinking water in the area. The contamination has led to an investigation and cleanup efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Wolverine World Wide has faced hundreds of lawsuits from residents in Northern Kent County, whose drinking water has been contaminated with PFAS. The company has set aside more than $35 million for environmental remediation and has spent millions on investigations, providing water filters, and designing a filtration system to treat water from its old tannery before it reaches the Rogue River. Despite these efforts, PFAS continues to be a pervasive issue in Michigan, affecting not only industrial sites but also private wells and septic systems.
PFAS contamination in private wells has been detected in Cadillac, Michigan, highlighting the risk to the millions of Michiganders who rely on private wells and septic systems. The state has implemented regulations requiring utilities to test for PFAS and remove it from public drinking water systems. However, private wells are not subject to the same testing and water quality standards, leaving residents vulnerable to contamination.
To address the issue of PFAS-polluted drinking water in Michigan, there have been calls for stricter regulations, polluter accountability, and a statewide plan for remediation. The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) has been working to identify and respond to PFAS-contaminated sites, and the state has invested in upgrading its water infrastructure. However, more comprehensive legislation is needed to protect Michigan's environment and public health from the harmful effects of PFAS contamination.
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Contaminated groundwater in Kent County
The contamination of groundwater in Kent County, Michigan, has been linked to Wolverine World Wide Inc., a global corporation and the maker of popular shoe brands like Hush Puppies. The source of the contamination has been traced to Wolverine's former tannery in Rockford, Kent County, and a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont.
The issue stems from Wolverine's use of a chemical compound called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to waterproof its shoe line, Hush Puppies, in the 1950s and 1960s. PFAS are long-lasting chemicals that do not break down in the environment and have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer. The contamination has affected both groundwater and drinking water sources, impacting the health and well-being of Kent County residents.
In recent years, Wolverine World Wide has taken steps to address the contamination and mitigate its impact. The company has set aside funds for environmental remediation, provided water filters to affected residents, and designed a filtration system to treat water from the tannery before it reaches the Rogue River. Additionally, Wolverine has been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) on investigation and cleanup efforts.
A major milestone in the cleanup project was reached in 2023, with EGLE-approved plans requiring the consolidation of contamination beneath four lined landfill caps covering 27 acres of land. Wolverine has also paid to install water filtration systems in over 460 homes, funded groundwater testing for more than 1,500 homeowners, and contributed over $69 million toward a new municipal water main system in Kent County.
The State of Michigan is actively involved in the remediation process, conducting health studies in the affected areas and testing private wells to determine the level of PFAS in the water. The EPA is also evaluating listing PFOS and PFOA (specific types of PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), developing cleanup protocols, and regulating toxic air pollution associated with PFAS under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
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Wolverine's dumping in Plainfield and Algoma townships
Wolverine World Wide Inc., the maker of Hush Puppies shoes, is facing a water contamination crisis in its Michigan hometown. The problem stems from the company's old tannery in Rockford, Michigan, which was scheduled for demolition in 2009. Wolverine Worldwide bought a special 3M Scotchgard coating in the 1950s and 1960s to waterproof its iconic casual shoe line. This coating contained a chemical compound called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which we now know does not break down in the environment and has been linked to serious health effects.
The contamination was first discovered by consultants and sparked an investigation into Wolverine's dumping practices in Plainfield and Algoma townships more than six years ago. PFAS contamination was discovered in drinking wells in these townships, and Wolverine's waste contaminated private wells with PFAS, affecting over 1,000 properties. The company has been accused of refusing to pay for the extension of municipal drinking water to residents affected by the contamination, with Plainfield Township accusing Wolverine of refusing to pay the final $19 million in the settlement.
Wolverine has since agreed to pay the total actual costs to extend municipal water to the affected properties, with a maximum of up to $62 million. The company has also set aside more than $35 million for environmental remediation in Michigan, including providing water filters to impacted residents and designing a filtration system to treat water from its old tannery before it reaches the Rogue River.
In addition to the contamination in Plainfield and Algoma townships, Wolverine World Wide's former tannery in Rockford and a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont have also been found to be polluted with PFAS, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The pollution has affected groundwater, and bottled water has been provided to impacted residents.
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The House Street Disposal Area in Belmont
The House Street Disposal Area is located on House Street in Plainfield Township, Kent County. The contamination was discovered in 2017 when investigators from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) began probing Wolverine's dumping practices in the area. EGLE is the lead agency investigating PFAS contamination in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water, while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is directing the investigation into other forms of contamination associated with Wolverine's former tannery and the House Street Disposal Area.
The contamination in Belmont is not an isolated incident. Wolverine World Wide's former tannery in Rockford, Michigan, has also been implicated in pollution. The company's headquarters, which once housed a shoe manufacturing facility, is suspected to have served as an undisclosed dumpsite for materials from the tannery. Additionally, contaminated wells have been discovered near Wolverine's headquarters, affecting 27 properties, including the home of Janet and Royce Washburn, who have experienced health issues potentially linked to PFAS exposure.
In response to the contamination, Wolverine World Wide has taken several steps towards remediation. As of March 2019, the company had set aside more than $35 million for environmental remediation in Michigan, with $17.1 million spent on investigations, water filters for residents, and the design of a filtration system to treat water from the old tannery before it reaches the Rogue River. Wolverine also began a short-term cleanup at the House Street Disposal Area, which included excavating and disposing of soils contaminated with metals and other hazardous substances. The EPA is overseeing this cleanup process, ensuring that Wolverine's removal workplans are properly executed and approved.
The pollution caused by Wolverine World Wide in Belmont and the surrounding areas has had significant environmental and health impacts. The contamination of groundwater has affected local residents, who have been provided with water filters and bottled water. The discovery of PFAS and other contaminants has also raised concerns about the potential health risks associated with exposure to these substances. As a result, Wolverine World Wide faces hundreds of lawsuits from Northern Kent County residents, and the company is also taking legal action against 3M, the supplier of the Scotchgard coating that contained PFAS.
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The EPA's investigation and cleanup
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) are coordinating their investigation and cleanup of tannery pollution in the Rockford and Belmont, Michigan areas. The contamination comes from Wolverine World Wide's former tannery in Rockford and a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont.
The pollutants include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). PFAS, which were used in the Scotchgard coating that Wolverine Worldwide bought to waterproof its Hush Puppies shoe line, do not break down in the environment and accumulate in our bodies. They have been linked to serious health effects, including kidney cancer.
The pollution has affected groundwater, prompting Wolverine to provide filters and bottled water to impacted residents. EGLE is leading the investigation into PFAS contamination in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water. The EPA is investigating other contamination associated with Wolverine's former tannery and the House Street Disposal Area.
In 2019, the EPA and EGLE held a public meeting to update the community on the Wolverine World Wide investigation. The Wolverine Community Advisory Group has formed and is holding meetings to discuss the issue.
Wolverine Worldwide has set aside more than $35 million for environmental remediation in Michigan, including investigations, water filters for residents, and designing a filtration system to treat water from its old tannery before it reaches the Rogue River. The company is also in talks with the EPA and regulators about additional remediation efforts, such as soil and sediment testing, installing warning signs in public areas, and fencing around the former disposal area.
However, there has been some criticism of Wolverine's cleanup plan. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell urged Michigan to reject the company's proposal, calling it "insufficient to adequately clean up this site and prevent the spread of these harmful chemicals into the Rogue River and surrounding environment."
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Frequently asked questions
The Wolverine World Wide pollution is in Rockford, Kent County, Michigan.
The pollution comes from Wolverine's former tannery in Rockford, as well as a waste dump known as the House Street Disposal Area in Belmont.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) are coordinating investigation and cleanup efforts. Wolverine World Wide has also set aside funds for environmental remediation and is providing water filters to affected residents.
The contaminants include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs).
Yes, Wolverine World Wide has faced hundreds of lawsuits from residents impacted by the contaminated drinking water. In 2020, a settlement was finalized between the state of Michigan, Plainfield and Algoma townships, and Wolverine Worldwide for \$69.5 million to compensate for the contamination.
