LANSING - The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is warning residents against eating deer taken within five miles of Clark's Marsh in Oscoda Township because of high levels of PFOS, a type of the PFAS chemical.
The advisory was issued after a single deer taken about two miles from the marsh was tested, and officials found high levels of PFOS. The level of the chemicals found in the deer was at 547 parts per billion, exceeding the level of 300 ppb.
Health Department officials tested 20 deer in the area, but only one had high levels of the PFOS chemical and none had high levels of PFAS.
"Although only one deer of this group tested at such high levels, the advisory was issued to protect the health of anyone eating venison taken within approximately five miles of Clark’s Marsh," a release said. "The state has plans to test more deer from this area."
Clark's Marsh borders the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The Detroit Free Press reported that the U.S. Air Force is not acting to stop the contaminated groundwater plumes coming off the base, which the state has identified as the source of the chemical.
PFAS is found in a firefighting foam often used at airports, including the Wurtsmith base and other locations across Michigan. The Department of Environmental Quality said in late July that more than 11,300 sites could be contaminated.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources also tested deer near PFAS-contaminated sites in Alpena, Rockford and Grayling. The deer meat tested in these areas did not have PFAS or had low levels.
The DNR and the Department of Health started this investigation in response to questions from hunters concerned about deer near contaminated areas. This is the first study of its kind, and there is little scientific information about PFAS chemicals and whitetail deer.
The State of Michigan is continuing to investigate the deer that tested for high levels of PFOS. And officials will test more deer near Clark's Marsh.
Congressman Dan Kildee issued this statement about the PFAS found in deer:
“Deer hunting is an integral part of life in Michigan and no hunter should be worried that the deer they hunt and feed their families contains toxic chemicals. Because the Air Force has been slow to act, PFAS contamination is not only putting residents at risk, but hurting the local economy and costing Michiganders jobs. This week, I spoke with the Secretary of the Air Force, encouraging them to more urgently address PFAS contamination in Oscoda. I will continue to push the Air Force at every opportunity to act more quickly, while securing additional resources to clean up PFAS contamination in Oscoda.”
More information can be found here.
The Detroit Free Press contributed to this reporting.
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