[SEMCO] Silent Spring Institute water research update - Thursday 10/9 @ 12pm, Barnstable Town Hall

[Laurel Schaider]

*Silent Spring Institute to update Cape Cod residents on water quality,
chemical exposure research*

*Massachusetts Environment Trust to fund study of persistent wastewater
contaminants*

Perfluorinated chemicals – persistent, toxic chemicals found in household
products and commercial sources – are prevalent in Cape Cod drinking water
wells, according to previous studies by Silent Spring Institute. A new
study will further investigate septic systems as sources of perfluorinated
chemicals into Cape Cod groundwater in order to inform wastewater
management planning.

Silent Spring Institute will present this new study, along with updates on
recent water quality and chemical exposure research, during its annual Cape
Cod community presentation at Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main Street,
Hyannis, on Thursday, October 9th, 12:00-1:30 pm. Lunch will be provided.

Silent Spring Institute was recently awarded a $40,000 grant from the
Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) to study removal and discharge of
perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) from septic systems and evaluate their role
as sources of PFCs into Cape Cod groundwater and drinking water. PFCs are
used in household items such as nonstick cookware and stain- and
water-resistant clothing and furnishings. Researchers will also compare PFC
levels in Cape drinking water to those in drinking water nationwide.
“Understanding discharges of PFCs into Cape Cod groundwater from septic
systems and other sources is a key step in shaping water management
decisions that protect both ecosystem health and drinking water quality,”
said Dr. Laurel Schaider, research scientist, who leads the Institute’s
Cape water research.

Prior Silent Spring Institute studies found PFCs in public and private
drinking water wells throughout Cape Cod, with the highest levels
approaching health-based guidelines. The US EPA has identified PFCs as
priority pollutants due to their health effects and persistence in the
environment, and is considering regulating some PFCs in drinking water.
PFCs have been linked to a range of health effects, including mammary
tumors and liver damage in animals and cancer and hormone disruption in
people.

Dr. Schaider will also discuss an ongoing study, funded in part by MET, on
removal of PFCs, pharmaceuticals, and other household wastewater
contaminants in homes that install eco-toilets as part of a demonstration
project by the Town of Falmouth, as well as describe proposed future
research plans.

Massachusetts Environmental Trust will provide roughly $429,000 in grants
to thirteen organizations this year, funded exclusively by motorists who
purchase one of the Trust’s specialty license plates. MET license plates,
including their signature Whale Plate, are the only specialty plates that
exclusively fund water-focused environmental programs.

The October 9th presentation will also feature a recent study that
identified 17 groups of everyday chemicals linked to breast cancer. “Our
study provides a roadmap for prioritizing chemicals in future health
studies and offers women tips to avoid breast carcinogens in their daily
lives,” said Janet Ackerman, study co-author and co-presenter at the
Hyannis meeting.

###

*Silent Spring Institute is a scientific research organization that studies
links between the environment and women’s health. Learn about the
Institute’s water research at: http://silentspring.org/water
<http://silentspring.org/water>.*

*To order a Massachusetts Environmental Trust specialty license plate,
visit www.mass.gov/eea/met <http://www.mass.gov/eea/met>.*
--
*Laurel Schaider, PhD*
Research Scientist
Silent Spring Institute
29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458
(617) 332-4288 ext 224
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