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Michigan Standard For Protecting Drinking Water May Not Be Strong Enough

TRAVERSE CITY (AP) — Michigan may need stronger standards for toxins based on new reports.

A scientific panel convened by Gov. Rick Snyder says Michigan's standard for protecting drinking water from certain toxic chemicals may not be strong enough.

The Michigan PFAS Science Advisory Committee made the finding in a report issued Tuesday. Snyder convened the panel of nationally recognized experts on per- and polyfluoroalkyl subtances, which are found in firefighting foam, some foods and a variety of household products.

The report says people could be sickened by long-term exposure to drinking water with concentrations of two particular chemicals below the federal advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. That's the standard Michigan uses.

The panel, led by David Savitz of the Brown University School of Public Health, also called for additional study of how other PFAS chemicals can affect human health.

© 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.           

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