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PFAS + Kent County
As a Kent County resident, you and the 652,617 people living in your community need to stay informed about the threat posed by toxic PFAS contamination.
A quick look at the numbers in Kent County:
- There are 24 sites contaminated with toxic PFAS.
- 12% of residents are over the age of 65, and their health can be aggravated by PFAS contamination.
- 6.2% are children, who are especially vulnerable to PFAS.
To combat the harmful effects of PFAS, we must:
- Raise funds to clean up the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Ashley Avenue Disposal Area, and Northeast Gravel.
- Raise awareness of PFAS contamination in Kent County waterways, and conduct local events to educate boaters and swimmers of the risks associated with PFAS.
- Recruit volunteers in key communities such as Rockford and Caledonia to get the word out about this risk to our community.
- Raise funds to continue testing important water sources like Murray Lake.
- Raise awareness of potential PFAS contamination in Kent County waterways.
Join the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network and share your story.
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/service/shutterstock_317578829_1.jpg "Health Impacts + PFAS")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/service/shutterstock_1700556274_1_1.jpg "Toxic Foam on Lakes and Rivers + PFAS")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/service/shutterstock_1111779815_2.jpg "Fishing + PFAS")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/service/shutterstock_55062790_1_1.jpg "Drinking Water + PFAS")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/info_page/Screen_Shot_2022-10-19_at_3.20.25_PM.png "What Is GLPAN?")
What Is GLPAN?
The Great Lakes PFAS Action Network (GLPAN) is a coalition centered and driven by people impacted by toxic PFAS pollution.
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/info_page/shutterstock_1089496373_1.jpg "What Are PFAS?")
What Are PFAS?
PFAS are a group of toxic and invisible man-made chemicals — short for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl chemical substances — that are used commonly in everyday consumer products, manufacturing and industry…
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/info_page/GLPAN_Find_contaminated_areas.jpg "Find Contaminated Areas Near You")
Find Contaminated Areas Near You
PFAS are a group of toxic and invisible man-made chemicals — short for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl chemical substances — that are used commonly in everyday consumer products, manufacturing and industry…
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/person/Sandy_Wynn_DSCF1878_M.jpg "Sandy Wynn-Stelt")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/person/spaniola.jpg "Tony Spaniola")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/person/wusterbarth.jpg "Cathy Wusterbarth")
/https://s3.amazonaws.com/lmbucket0/media/person/SalahAli.jpg "Salah Ali")
Connect with Impacted Communities in Kent County
GLPAN's Community Action Mini-Grants Program
Flint, Detroit, and Dearborn, MI
Community members in Flint, Detroit and Dearborn will partner with the Ecology Center to identify sources of PFAS chemicals in urban air. Because rain carries contaminants from the air, the team will collect rainwater in buckets. The results will be shared with community members and the state of Michigan through educational presentations.
Holly, MI
Using an air sampling monitor, community members will assess PFAS in household dust. PFAS have contaminated soil near homes across the Falk Road Dump, and this assessment will determine if those soils are becoming airborne and entering homes. The project will help participants better understand their PFAS exposure. The project leads will work with the state of Michigan to provide recommendations to the community to reduce exposure.
The Community Action Mini-Grants Program provides impacted communities and directly supporting groups and organizations resources in order to support their on-the-ground education, organizing or PFAS testing efforts.
The Great Lakes PFAS Action Network is a coalition driven by PFAS-impacted communities and supported by environmental organizations. Our coalition aims to be a resource for and connecter between communities that have been impacted by PFAS contamination in their water, soil, air, or wildlife.
Directly resourcing and funding impacted communities is central to our mission and values. We aim to build power within communities directly facing PFAS contamination so they may amplify their needs and collective voices to decision-makers, the media, and other people in power.