WYANDOTTE, Mich. – For Metro Detroit nonprofits and community advocates, it’s a victory nearly a year in the making.
Organizations like Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, For Love of Water, and Detroit Riverkeeper (and many others) have been pushing for a Public Health Assessment in Wyandotte to address long-standing pollution issues tied to BASF’s facility along the Detroit River.
“We’re really concerned that people don’t know what’s happening right in their backyard,” said Raquel Garcia, Executive Director of Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision.
State health officials are investigating contamination near BASF’s Wyandotte site on Biddle Avenue, not far from the city’s water intake facility.
The site has a history of pollution stretching back decades, with hazardous chemicals like mercury, PFAS, and DDT reportedly seeping into the surrounding environment.
“We see little kids fishing, we see them swimming, we see people enjoying the river and on jet skis, and I think people have a right to know the chemicals that are in the water,” Garcia said.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is conducting the assessment to determine if residents are being exposed to harmful contaminants through drinking water, surface water, sediment, or eating fish.
While initial reports indicate that drinking water is safe, concerns remain about other forms of exposure.
“I grew up here, and I don’t wanna be harmed by that kind of stuff,” said Wyandotte resident Braxton Longworth.
“After what happened in Flint and all that, I just don’t trust any tap water,” added Olivia Gonzalez, who lives downriver from the site and said she only drinks bottled water.
BASF responded in a statement, saying, “BASF believes that any assessment needs to be based on sound science and accurately applied. We regard protection of health, safety, and the environment as our most important responsibility.”
Environmental groups plan to alert the community about the assessment with mailings in the coming months.
They hope this action also sends a larger message to other companies about prioritizing environmental responsibility.
New plan aims to stop groundwater contamination from BASF pollution in Wyandotte
