“Do Not Eat” advisory issued for Franklin Creek in Lee County as statewide testing for PFAS is implemented
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued its updated consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. The advisories are based on routine testing conducted by the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program, which was updated last fall to include testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.”
The expanded testing has this year resulted in advisories for nine bodies of water this year. A Do Not Eat advisory has been issued for all fish in Franklin Creek in Lee County, and associated ponds in the Franklin Creek State Natural Area, due to high levels of PFAS.
The updated advisories also recommend limited consumption of certain fish from several other Illinois waterways because of PFAS levels. Certain fish taken from Lake Zurich, Crab Orchard Lake, and Wolf Lake should only be consumed once per month. One meal per week advisories were issued for certain species in Lake Michigan, Waukegan North Harbor, Sycamore Lake, Midlothian Reservoir, and Chicago River. More information about PFAS can be found in the Illinois PFAS Advisories Fact Sheet.
“Fishing in Illinois waters is a great recreational activity that often leads to delicious meals,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “To make sure each of those catches are safe and healthy, please visit our Fish Advisory Map to get the most up to date information on Illinois’s consumption advisories.”
In addition to PFAS, the fish consumption advisories also address the presence of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and methylmercury. As part of a continuing trend of declining PCB levels around the state, PCB advisories were relaxed for certain species in Lake Michigan and Midlothian Reservoir, and removed for certain species in Lake Michigan, Crab Orchard Lake, Midlothian Reservoir, Sangamon River, and Illinois River.
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