Hi this is State Senator Eric Wimberger of the 30th Senate District.
Last week marked Earth Day and we are reminded of how important it is to be good
stewards of the environment.
Using and manipulating resources available to us has meant tremendous advancement in
technology, health and quality of life. But sometimes the quest for those advancements has
negative effects on the same environment we need to survive. It’s important to understand
what we are doing to our surroundings and try to fix it we when we realize we are causing
harm.
For several years we have understood PFAS chemicals to have negative effects on human
health and the environment. While we use PFAS for many beneficial applications in decades
past, including saving lives from fires, technological advancements provides alternatives.
It’s time to move away from using PFAS and manage cleanup and disposal.
The first thing we need to do is not make the situation worse. While the DNR adopted a 70 part-per-trillion standard for surface and groundwater the same DNR and Gov. Evers administration simultaneously permitted PFAS-laden bio-solid spreading in the Marinette area. Just six months ago bio-solids were spread onto 240 acres of farm field. The PFAS
content was approximately 100,000 parts-per-trillion.
Let’s focus on safe PFAS disposal. Transitioning to effective, eco-friendly PFAS alternatives and helping those affected who listen to both state officials and private industry that PFAS was safe.
As good stewards of the environment we know we need to use the Earth for our survival and advancement but that does not mean we need to abuse it.
