A sample collected just downstream of the Arbor Hills Landfill from a small Johnson Creek tributary that drains stormwater from the landfill contained 83 ng/l of PFOS (a forever chemical), which exceeds the legal limit of 12 ng/l. (See Table 1).
Figure 1 - Unnamed Tributary to Johnson Creek near Arbor Hills Landfill
In 2021, The Conservancy Initiative (TCI) discovered that the Arbor Hills Landfill had tested its stormwater detention pond. The detention pond, which discharges into a Johnson Creek tributary, was found to contain PFOS levels well above water quality standards. TCI immediately reported the test results to EGLE, and a Violation Notice was issued. The Violation was cited for the illegal PFOS discharge, and Green for Life’s (GFL’s) failure to report the illicit discharge.
It has been over four years since EGLE issued the Violation Notice, yet PFOS discharges continue, and Green for Life (GFL), the Canadian owner of Arbor Hills, is now claiming they have addressed the violation. Green for Life wrote to The Conservancy Initiative, claiming the PFOS problem has been corrected. About a week later, during a public meeting, a Northville resident passionately expressed concerns about the harm Green for Life is causing to Johnson Creek, the area's only cold-water trout stream. The resident is worried about her children, who are no longer allowed to play on the banks of the pristine creek. A Green for Life manager responded to her comments, saying she should not worry about PFOS since it is present everywhere in our world, and that The Conservancy Initiative's reporting is inaccurate.
The comments from the Green for Life manager were inappropriate and inaccurate. The EGLE Violation Notice remains unresolved; testing coordinated by TCI shows that PFOS discharges are still occurring. Green for Life has not provided any evidence to EGLE indicating that the illegal discharges have been addressed. EGLE has assured TCI that the Violation Notice remains unresolved, and they plan to issue a consent order requiring the elimination of PFOS discharges; however, the process is progressing very slowly.
If GFL truly believes it has corrected its issues, it should take it up with EGLE, not during the public comments at a public meeting.
Here are the Facts
EGLE issued a Violation Notice to Green for Life on June 14, 2021, for illegal PFOS discharges into Johnson Creek. The violation addressed the PFOS discharge and Green for Life’s failure to act, with a promise that a Consent Order would be issued to establish a plan and schedule to correct the illegal discharges. The Violation Notice remains unresolved.
After the violation notice, both EGLE and Green for Life declined to implement a publicly available testing program to monitor PFOS discharges. After a meeting with GFL leadership, we learned that quarterly testing of stormwater runoff has been performed, but GFL has not shared the results.
The Conservancy Initiative has been testing the stormwater discharges from Arbor Hills for over two years and found PFOS concentrations that regularly exceed Michigan Water Quality Standards. We plan to continue our testing program.
GFL has questioned TCI’s qualifications to perform the PFOS sampling. There is no reason to doubt our PFOS results; they are consistent with the results found by both EGLE and GFL. (See Table 1).
Washtenaw County does not need a new Landfill.
NO NEW LANDFILL!!!
Table 1 - Summary of PFOS Testing characterizing the Arbor Hills Landfill Stormwater discharge