For Friday, May 12, 2023

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1 – A Michigan Chemical Exposure Monitoring project is gathering data on the amount of certain chemicals in the blood and urine of residents. 

That includes lead, mercury and PFAS.

The purpose is to better understand whether people from different races, ethnicities, ages and locations have been exposed to certain chemicals. 

State officials say the study will help inform actions to reduce chemical exposures, such as investigating sources and improving laws related to chemical use. 

People are receiving Michigan Chemical Exposure Monitoring project invitations in the mail and researchers are randomly selecting one adult per household. A total of 197 chemicals are being measured. 

As of this week, there were 450 participants in 14 areas. Selected areas include Bay, Saginaw and Tuscola counties. 

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2 – When you drive Michigan roads, you’ll likely come upon roadkill like a dead deer or other animal. 

But there’s a debate on whether county road commissions can clean up the carcasses without being fined by the state Department of Natural Resources.

State Rep. John Roth from Traverse City is urging the state to allow county road commissions to dispose of roadkill or provide clarity on how dead animals should be handled. 

A letter to the DNR director was signed by a bipartisan group of 20 other legislators, including Timothy Beson of Bay County. 

It proposes that procedures be established between county road commissions and locally based DNR conservation officers to establish disposal sites and “ensure that roadkill carcasses are not the result of bad actors, poachers, and so on.”

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3 – What are the most common invasive animals and insects in Michigan? 

USA Today has a story about an interactive map that shows the most widespread invasives for all 50 states. It’s from the University of Georgia and was developed using state and federal data. 

In Michigan, the top invasive animals are … the zebra mussel, round goby and feral pigs. 

The top invasive insects include the spongy moth and emerald ash borer. 

You can even see information for the county level, including for invasive plants. In Bay County, purple loosestrife tops the list. 

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– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Fridays at 9:30 a.m. in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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