If you’re spending some time in the water, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services wants you to remember: Don’t touch the foam.
There’s natural foam in lakes, rivers, and streams, but there’s also foam caused by PFAS contamination. It’s hard to tell the difference.
“The recommendation that we have for any foam on any water body is to just avoid it as best you can,” said Joost van ’t Erve, a toxigologist with the health agency.
He said touching the foam is not so much the problem. It’s after you touch it and then accidentally get it on your food or a child puts their fingers in their mouth.
“And if you do happen to be in contact with it, it’s important to just rinse it off as quickly as you can.”
Repeated exposure to chemicals in the PFAS family can cause liver damage, thyroid damage and many other health effects.
Additionally, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development suggests you keep your animals away from the foam. While swimming in it they might swallow some of it or get it on their fur and then lick it off while grooming themselves.
