Wisconsin legislator says PFAS pollution in state's water seems 'insurmountable'

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PFAS pollution in Wisconsin waters seems "insurmountable," a state legislator said Tuesday.

Democratic state Sen. Diane Hesselbein made the remark during a Senate natural resources committee hearing on the chemicals’ spread across the state.

University of Wisconsin-Madison environmental engineering expert Christy Remucal told the committee that researchers have not found a way to destroy the chemicals or remove them from the environment on a large scale. She said that right now the best approach is to keep the chemicals from entering the environment in the first place, prompting Hesselbein’s comment.

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Remucal tried to reassure her that research continues.

A Wisconsin lawmaker believes the PFAS pollution in water in Wisconsin feels "insurmountable."

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PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of man-made chemicals used widely in consumer products ranging from nonstick cookware and water-repellent sports gear to stain-resistent carpets. They’re also a key ingredient in fire-extinguishing foams.

They can accumulate and persist in the human body for long periods. Exposure may lead to cancer and other health problems.

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A host of Wisconsin communities are grappling with PFAS contamination in the groundwater, including Madison, Marinette and the town of Campbell just outside La Crosse. UW-Madison researchers led by Remucal released findings late last year showing a plume of PFAS contamination in the bay of Green Bay.