KENT COUNTY, Md. — The residents of House Street in Belmont want PFAS out of their water supply.
"I've never seen a community so impacted as this when it comes to residential wells," says Denise Trabbic-Pointer, a toxics and remediation specialist for the Sierra Club Michigan branch.
They also don't think Wolverine Worldwide is doing enough to help.
"They don't care about this community and they don't care about the pain that it caused," says Sandy Wynn-Stelt, a nearby resident.
Neighbors gathered in front of Wynn-Stelt's house to share concern over the company's plan to remove the waste. The residents who spoke all live adjacent to the dump site and some described its direct impact.
"I watched my husband, Joel, become sick and die from cancer," says Wynn-Stelt. "I, too, was diagnosed with cancer six months ago. That means the house here is two-for-two for cancer, and I don't think that's a coincidence."
Wolverine's plan is called phytoremediation, essentially building a nature preserve over the contaminated land. The goal is for plants to absorb and remove the contamination.
"But the waste over here is as far as 20-feet deep," says Trabbic-Pointer. "There's no tree that's going to dig down into that."
Trabbic-Pointer also says the method will take at least 100 years to make a difference.
She says Wolverine's second option would be much more successful, and it has the neighborhood's backing.
"We do support an impermeable cap liner to be applied where applicable and appropriate," says resident Paul Joswiak.
But they say the company won't spend the extra money.
"They're more concerned about the profit margins and the profits for their shareholders," says Wynn-Stelt.
"Its the right thing to do," believes Trabbic-Pointer. "It isn't cheap but it can be done."
In an effort to help, Wolverine announced last year it will provide $70 million to fund the expansion of Plainfield Township’s municipal water system. The project is underway and will provide water to more than 1,000 houses, including the House Street area.
On Wednesday, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will gather public comment at a meeting. EGLE has the final say on determining the plan going forward.
You can learn more about Wolverine Worldwide's full remediation plan, and register for the virtual public meeting, by clicking here.
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