Protecting Lake Superior from PFAS from landfill leachate

By Sabrina Ullman | WDIO | April 20, 2023

Read the full article by Sabrina Ullman (WDIO)

“PFAS is an acronym which stands for per and poly for alkyl substances. The thing they have in common are the carbon fluorine bond and individual compounds vary by chain length and things like that,” said Wisconsin DNR Toxicologist Sean Strom. “They have specific properties that make them useful and certain types of products, you know, firefighting foam, fast food wrappers, water and stain repellent, fabrics, things like that.”

In 2021, the Wisconsin DNR issued its first ever PFAS-based fish consumption advisory for Lake Superior. The advisory was issued after elevated levels of PFAS were found in rainbow smelt near the Apostle Islands and off the shore of Port Wing.

“The current advisory for smelt on Lake Superior is no more than one meal per month,” said Strom. “Eating one meal, it’s not like you’re going to get instantly sick. These are long term complications, but they include everything from it impacts thyroid function to it impacts cholesterol levels to certain types of cancers.”