Environmental Emergency – If your complaint is concerning an environmental emergency, please call 911 to report the incident.
Foodborne Illness – If you believe you are sick from food you ate at a restaurant, grocery store, or public event, please complete an electronic food-borne illness complaint submission or call the health department’s Environmental Health Division at 906-482-7382.
— COMPLAINT PROCESS —
Western Upper Peninsula Health Department responds to public health-related complaints and other issues involving unsanitary conditions that may cause illness or spread disease. Examples of common complaints WUPHD investigates include restaurant employees not wearing gloves while handling food, sewage surfacing from a failing septic system, and tattoos being performed in someone’s home.
To file a complaint, please complete the online Complaint Form to provide us with the information we need to investigate your concern. Complaint Forms must be complete before an investigation will be started. You may be contacted by an Environmental Health Sanitarian for additional information, so be sure your day time contact information is accurate. If we cannot verify your identity or contact you for follow-up, your complaint will not be investigated.
What WUPHD WILL Do:
- Western Upper Peninsula Health Department Environmental Health staff may call you to discuss the complaint or incident and gather more information. We will evaluate the complaint to determine if the situation is within the regulatory scope of the health department. We may refer the complaint to the appropriate state, township, or city agency.
- We may call the responsible party to see if they are aware of the issue, and to discuss what they are doing to remediate the situation. We may go to the complaint site to confirm the complaint information and gather more information.
- Michigan’s Public Health Code, and local codes and ordinances within WUPHD’s jurisdiction will be enforced if the complaint investigation finds violations.
What WUPHD WILL NOT Do:
- Animal Waste and Disposal of Dead Animals – https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/animals/disposal
- Mold & Pests – WUPHD does not have the equipment or resources to test for mold, detect odors or other harmful substances, or remove bed bugs. Information about these topics is available on this website.
- Buildings – If you are concerned about abandoned or unmaintained buildings on a property, contact your township or city government building department office.
- Junk – WUPHD does not enforce township blight ordinances. If you are concerned about junk accumulation on a property, contact your township or city government office.
- Air Quality and Odors – Please refer to: https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/air-quality or to submit an air quality concern, please click HERE.
- Farming – WUPHD does not evaluate farming practices or agriculture related manure storage and application practices. Contact Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to file a complaint of this type.
- Rental disputes – We cannot assist in breaking a lease agreement, receiving a security deposit refund, or suing responsible parties. Please seek legal counsel for assistance in these matters.
- Customer service complaints – We do not handle basic customer service complaints such as rude staff, lost reservations, or wrong food orders. Please report these incidents to the facility’s management.
- Medical advice -We cannot provide medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please see your health care provider.
Complaints at gas stations, grocery stores, bakeries, meat processing (ADD), and other retail establishments should be directed to the
Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
The health department does not have regulatory authority over these facilities.