Laboratories Offering Home Testing
PFAS MCLs and Drinking Water
Statewide Testing Initiative
PFAS Sites and Areas of Interest
There are two major classes of firefighting foam: Class A and Class B. Class B is also called Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) and is usually created using PFAS. It is a highly effective foam used for fighting high-hazard flammable liquid fires, like gasoline, oil, and jet fuel.
Official Correspondence
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Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.
Tyler Jacobs, Jacobs.Tyler@EPA.gov or 312-886-6002
RACER Van Buren Landfill is located where Ecorse Road and Michigan Avenue intersect in Van Buren Township. The landfill is approximately 68 acres. Groundwater investigations have been conducted at the Site since 2012, however other investigations occurred as long ago as 2003 when the former General Motors Corporation performed a geophysical investigation with an electromagnetic survey. The summaries of these investigations were used to determine the nature and extent of contamination and to monitor for any changes that may affect the corrective action process. Impacts to groundwater were found to be primarily from historic landfilling operations. During early phases of characterization work, automotive parts and other waste were recovered and are believed to be the main contributors to metals impacting groundwater, primarily iron. Subsurface soil impacts were minor or intermittent and detections were consistent with local conditions, often referred to as background concentrations. In July 2024, at the direction of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), thirteen groundwater monitoring wells on-site were sampled for PFAS. The highest results were 230 ppt PFOA (compared to 8 ppt), 180 ppt PFOS (compared to 16 ppt), and 63 ppt PFHxS (compared to 51 ppt). The Site is located above an unconfined surficial aquifer, with shallow groundwater levels measured at roughly one foot below ground surface (bgs) off-site to approximately 12 feet bgs on-site. The unconfined aquifer is located above lacustrine clay which serves as a lower confining unit. Due to the historic use of the Site, groundwater flow is unique and flows radially from the central portion of the Site.
See an aerial view of the location of the site.
Municipal water is available in this area provided by the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority, Van Buren Township, and the Great Lakes Water Authority. EGLE, DHHS, and local health identified 10 drinking water wells nearby, which the state will seek permission to sample in the spring of 2025.
EGLE will mail letters to homes identified to be on a private drinking water wells to request access to sample drinking water.