Georgia-Pacific Partners With DEQ To Investigate PFAS In Parchment

One of the largest paper corporations in the world has agreed to work with the state of Michigan to uncover the source of toxic contamination in Parchment’s water.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality says Monday that they have established a “mutual agreement” with Georgia-Pacific to investigate sites that were believed to have contributed to Per and Polyfleuroalkyl Substances being discovered in Parchment’s city water system. According to the DEQ, the former paper mill in the city suspected of being the source of PFAS contamination, but they can't be sure that it is the sole source in the area.

Georgia-Pacific never owned the Parchment paper mill, suspected of being the source of contamination, but they do have a "corporate relationship" with one of the companies that did own it in the past.

GP has agreed to work with the DEQ on creating a plan to investigate the site, to determine how contaminated with PFAS it is. The cost of the work will be covered by GP as well. In July, PFAS were found in Parchment’s city water and in several municipal wells, prompting a month-long “Do not drink” order that was eventually lifted after Parchment was connected to Kalamazoo’s water.