EPA approves Michigan groundwater cleanup project
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the approval of a comprehensive plan to address groundwater contamination at the BASF North Works site in Wyandotte, Mich., preventing heavy metals, PFAS and other harmful chemicals from entering the Detroit River. This milestone finalizes the design for a multi-component system to prevent contaminated groundwater flow, authorizing construction to begin in early 2027. The remedy will include perimeter barriers to limit groundwater movement across the site boundary and into the Detroit River, a groundwater collection and extraction system to capture contaminated groundwater and an on-site water treatment facility to treat collected groundwater.
The facility occupies about 230 acres along the Detroit River and has been used for various industrial operations since the 1800s. It is currently used to manufacture chemicals and other products. Prior investigations by the EPA and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy identified contaminants in groundwater surrounding the site, including heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds and PFAS.
