EGLE: 'No immediate human health risk' from Bear Creek spill in Warren
The chemical spill last week from a shuttered former electroplating business into the Bear Creek Drain in Warren poses no immediate health risks to the public and did not affect local drinking water. But aquatic life in the creek may be harmed, according to agencies involved in the containment, testing and cleanup of the spill.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday completed its cleanup activities at the former Fini-Finish Metal Finishing electroplating shop, 24657 Mound Road, and turned oversight over to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Nearby storm sewers were cleaned and unplugged, and as a precaution, "pom-pom" booming is remaining in Bear Creek to slow sediment while the former shop's new owner continues an EGLE-monitored cleanup inside the facility.
The first round of samples taken from Bear Creek and the Fini-Finish shop building show chemicals including metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were released into the waterway. Samples taken downstream from the release showed elevated levels of some chemicals, but not at concentrations that would pose immediate risk to humans, EGLE officials said in a statement.
Of all chemicals analyzed in the first samples, only total copper results showed concentrations above those established to protect aquatic life in the stream. "EGLE will use the sampling data to assess the impact to Bear Creek and the environment, and work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the protection of human health," EGLE officials said.
A burst water pipe in the former Fini-Finish shop caused extensive flooding in the building, where unknown substances were found on the floor, along with buckets and barrels of materials. Investigators believe the spill into the creek arose from the burst pipe floodwaters contacting the floor materials and exterior of the containers before flowing through storm drains into the nearby creek.
A bluish substance on the surface of the Bear Creek drain was first noticed and reported Feb. 7 by a construction contractor doing culvert work nearby. The Bear Creek drain flows into the Red Run Drain and on into the Clinton River, a major tributary to Lake St. Clair.
The owner of the Fini-Finish building, who purchased it last fall, has hired a contractor to begin cleanup work.
More: Saving Lake St. Clair - a Free Press special report
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"EGLE continues to investigate the circumstances of the release and is monitoring the property owner’s removal of the chemicals from inside the facility. Additional water sampling results are expected later this week," agency officials said.
Inspectors with the Macomb County Department of Public Works observed that water in the Bear Creek drain was still a greenish color at Chicago Road east of Van Dyke last Friday morning, but the discoloration was gone by about noon. An unknown amount of chemicals likely flowed on into the Red Run Drain, county Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller said.
"Our inspectors observed numerous wildlife and waterfowl in and about the drain on Monday, which points out to us all how important it is to be good stewards of our environment, and we appreciate the public notifying us," she said.
Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: EGLE: 'No immediate human health risk' from Bear Creek spill in Warren
