ONLINE: PFAS and Wisconsin

media release: Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) for the PFAS in Wisconsin Webinar at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 19.

The webinar will include remarks from DNR Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs and DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. A presentation by DNR and DHS staff will provide an overview of PFAS and the work being done to mitigate PFAS in Wisconsin and at several sites around the state, including French Island and the Town of Campbell, the Marinette and Peshtigo area, Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern and others. 

Watch on YouTube here.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in various products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and some types of firefighting foams. These contaminants stay in the environment and human body for extended periods of time. Recent findings indicate that exposure to certain PFAS may have harmful health effects in people.

To address this issue, the state of Wisconsin is establishing PFAS standards for drinking water, groundwater and surface water to protect health; conducting soil and water testing; researching PFAS levels in fish and wildlife; hosting listening and feedback sessions; and collaborating with neighboring states.

Addressing PFAS contamination in the environment is part of Governor Tony Evers’ statewide initiative to ensure Wisconsinites have access to clean, safe, drinking water. In 2019, the governor signed Executive Order #40 to address the issue of PFAS across the state.

The governor’s 2021-23 biennial budget proposes significant resources for the monitoring and testing of PFAS including over $20 million over the next two years for assistance and resources to local communities that are impacted by PFAS contamination, aiding local fire departments in disposing of PFAS foam, and adding additional DNR staff to implement the Wisconsin PFAS Action Council's action plan.

To learn more about PFAS and the environment including fish consumption advisories, visit the DNR’s PFAS webpage. For more information on PFAS and associated human health effects, visit the DHS’s PFAS webpage.