Wisconsin PFAS Action Council Releases PFAS Action Plan
The Department of Natural Resources today announced the release of a statewide PFAS Action Plan created to address growing public health and environmental concerns regarding PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in Wisconsin.
The PFAS Action Plan was developed by WisPAC, a group of nearly 20 state agencies and the University of Wisconsin System, to guide the state’s effort in addressing environmental contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), leverage resources, personnel, and expertise from across a multitude of state agencies and other entities toward addressing environmental and public health concerns that are or may be posed by PFAS.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foam. These contaminants have made their way into the environment through spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and certain types of firefighting foams.
The PFAS Action Plan includes priority action items identified through input from state agencies, a citizen and a local government advisory group, and the public. Each item contains an overview of what would be required to carry it out, including budgetary, legislative and staffing needs. Action items are categorized into eight themes: standard setting, sampling, pollution prevention, education and communication, research and knowledge, phase-out, future investments and historic discharges.
In total, there are 25 action items laid out in the plan. Some highlights include recommendations to:
- Establish science-based PFAS standards for environmental media such as soil, groundwater and biosolids.
- Develop PFAS risk communication infrastructure including the construction of a website, improved public engagement, partnerships within the community and inter-agency collaboration.
- Streamline processes associated with the delivery of safe drinking water supplies to communities impacted by PFAS contamination.