‘Forever chemicals’ run deep at 3M’s Greystone site — and the fallout is just beginning

By Tom Kilian and Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review | May 1, 2026

Read the full article by Tom Kilian and Shereen Siewert (Wausau Pilot & Review)

"Groundwater beneath a 3M Wausau facility contains cancer-linked “forever chemicals” at levels 925 times higher than limits Wisconsin is still fighting to make official, according to new data released last month.

The contamination at 3M’s Greystone facility is documented in testing results posted to the state’s public environmental database and in a site investigation report submitted in April 2026. The results — from samples collected in late 2025 — confirm that PFAS, a class of synthetic compounds known as “forever chemicals” for their persistence in the body and environment, have polluted groundwater across large sections of the Greystone property. Stormwater basins on the east side of the site by the Wisconsin River also tested far above state limits.

Citizens for a Clean Wausau, a grassroots environmental group that has tracked industrial pollution in the area for years, first brought the data to public attention. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirmed the investigation is active as regulators review the site report, prepared by 3M’s environmental consultant, Tetra Tech, and dated April 10, 2026. The report’s stated objectives were to further define the extent of PFAS groundwater impacts, identify potential contamination sources, assess the need for additional investigation, and inform any future remedial action."