All Fish in Michigan Rivers Contaminated with Toxic Chemicals
All fish caught and tested in Michigan rivers were found to contain PFAS chemicals at a level that present a health risk to those who eat them, a new study reveals. Researchers took 100 samples of 12 species in the Huron and Rouge Rivers. PFAS are known as “forever chemical” due to their inability to decompose naturally. They have been linked to cancer, high cholesterol, liver and kidney disease, fetal complications and other serious health conditions. PFAS chemicals are used to make clothing and other products resistant to water and stains.
These chemicals are believed to pollute drinking water for more than 200 million people. The sad ubiquity of the degradation of aquatic life has been suggested by two studies this year. There are no state or federal limits on PFAS levels in fish or other food. The EPA lowered its health advisory limit on PFAS last year after it was discovered that no exposure level is safe.