Arsenic, PFAS Contaminated Water Spill in Marinette
A Johnson Controls subsidiary spilled contaminated water into Menominee River.
A Marinette manufacturer of firefighting foam is cleaning up a spill of contaminated water containing arsenic and so-called “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
Tyco Fire Products, part of Johnson Controls International, reported the spill to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Sunday around 9 p.m., according to a DNR release.
Company officials said a mixture of river water and contaminated groundwater at its 1 Stanton St. facility was accidentally released, making its way into storm water drains that flow into the Menominee River.
A spokesperson for Johnson Controls said they promptly notified the agency of a water line break that occurred on Sunday.
The company is recovering water from the site and storing it in tanks. The agency is monitoring the cleanup and said no further details are available at this time.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have raised concerns because they don’t break down easily in the environment. They’ve also been linked to health problems, including some cancers.
Johnson Controls and Tyco are the subject of an ongoing investigation into PFAS contamination stemming from its fire training facility in Marinette.
Tyco has conducted PFAS sampling on more than 250 drinking water wells in the Marinette area, saying most wells have turned up no trace of the chemicals. Around three-dozen wells have PFAS levels beyond the state’s recommended groundwater enforcement standard of 20 parts per trillion to protect public health. There is no federal standard for PFAS although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion.
The company has refused the DNR’s requests to expand well testing, saying there’s no evidence contamination has spread to the south and west of its facility. The agency has informed the company it plans to conduct the sampling and recover costs from Tyco and Johnson Controls. Tyco said the DNR should identify other responsible parties for contamination as it conducts testing.
Tyco also resumed well sampling this spring near farm fields where biosolids or sewage sludge contaminated with PFAS had been spread, although it denies any responsibility for contamination there.
The company has also spent $1 million in improvements to its sewer lines running to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Tyco has also committed to roughly $10 million to construct a municipal water line to provide safe drinking water.
Last year, Johnson Controls said it set aside $140 million for cleanup of pollution from firefighting foam at its properties.
The DNR referred Johnson Controls and Tyco to the Wisconsin Department of Justice in May 2019 for failing to report any release of PFAS when it was first discovered in 2013. Company officials have said they believed contamination had been confined to the site of its facility.
Johnson Controls Subsidiary Reports Contaminated Water Spill Containing Arsenic, PFAS From Marinette Facility was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the PFAS Problem
- The State of Politics: Voters Worried About PFAS in Water - Steven Walters - Apr 22nd, 2024
- EPA Slaps Two PFAS Chemicals With Superfund Law Designation - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 19th, 2024
- DNR Responds To EPA’s Designation Of PFOA And PFOS As Hazardous Substances - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 19th, 2024
- Evers Won’t Rule Out Court Challenge to Force Release of PFAS Funds - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 16th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Vetoes PFAS Bill, Calls Special Meeting of Budget Committee - Baylor Spears - Apr 10th, 2024
- DNR, DHS Respond To EPA’s Announcement Of Maximum Contaminant Levels For PFAS In Drinking Water - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 10th, 2024
- GOP Leaders Urge Gov. Evers to Sign Divisive PFAS Bill - Baylor Spears - Apr 2nd, 2024
- UW-Madison to Open PFAS Center - Robert D'Andrea - Apr 1st, 2024
- Gov. Evers Slams Republicans for Continued Delays Releasing Critical Funds to Fight PFAS Statewide, Stabilize Healthcare Industry in Western Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - Mar 11th, 2024
- Wisconsin DNR Update On WMC And Leather Rich, Inc V. DNR - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Mar 8th, 2024
Read more about PFAS Problem here