{"podcast":{"title":"West Michigan Weekend (A Public Affairs Program from iHeartradio)","slug":"west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286","podcast_index_feed_id":1390286,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/2572136/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-iheartmedia-west-mi-weeken-28352469/","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c55b2f870fe78fd27f6c054b429382ed.jpg","author":"WOOD Radio","episode_count":603,"summary":"\"The West Michigan Weekend Podcast with Phil Tower is a production of WOOD Radio and iHeartRadio in West Michigan. Stay connected with the people, places, and events shaping our community and our great state by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love your feedback as well, so please consider leaving us a review! For more of our episodes, find us here , or find us on the iHeartRadio app . Thanks for listening!\"","last_synced_at":"2026-06-27T12:19:06.835245+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286"},"episode":{"title":"Fighting “Forever Chemicals”: Inside the Push to Clean Up PFAS in the Great Lakes (03-22-26)","slug":"fighting-forever-chemicals-inside-the-push-to-clean-up-pfas-in-the-great-lakes-03-22-26","published_at":"2026-03-21T04:05:02+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/fighting-forever-chemicals-inside-the-push-to-clean-up-pfas-in-the-great-lakes-03-22-26","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/fighting-forever-chemicals-inside-the-push-to-clean-up-pfas-in-the-great-lakes-03-22-26--70786234","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/70786234/032226_ihmwmw_glpan_final_mix.mp3","summary":"PFAS—often called “forever chemicals”—are nearly impossible to break down, and they’ve quietly become one of the most widespread environmental and public health concerns facing Michigan and the Great Lakes region. On this episode of West Michigan Weekend, Phil Tower speaks with Tony Spaniola, co-founder of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network , a coalition driven by people directly impacted by toxic PFAS contamination. Used for decades in everything from firefighting foam to stain-resistant fabrics, PFAS chemicals are now linked to serious health risks—and they’re showing up in drinking water across the region. In Michigan alone, more than 160 sites are contaminated, affecting nearly 2 million residents in communities from Rockford to Oscoda, Parchment, and beyond. Spaniola explains what PFAS are, why they’re so persistent, and how grassroots advocacy is pushing for accountability, large-scale cleanup, and stronger protections at both the state and federal levels. This conversation sheds light on a complex issue with real local impact—and the growing movement working to protect public health across the Great Lakes. Online: The Great Lakes PFAS Action Network Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.","meta_description":"PFAS—often called “forever chemicals”—are nearly impossible to break down, and they’ve quietly become one of the most widespread environmental and public…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1014,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/episodes/fighting-forever-chemicals-inside-the-push-to-clean-up-pfas-in-the-great-lakes-03-22-26/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/fighting-forever-chemicals-inside-the-push-to-clean-up-pfas-in-the-great-lakes-03-22-26.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}