[SEMCO] Silent Spring Institute research update: Thursday, 10/8 at 12 pm, Barnstable Town Hall

[Laurel Schaider]

Silent Spring Institute Research Update

Institute scientists to discuss new research on chemicals of concern in 
drinking water, sustainable wastewater management, and rapid chemical 
safety screening

Thursday, October 8, 2015
12:00–1:30 p.m.
Barnstable Town Hall, 2nd Floor Hearing Room, 367 Main Street, Hyannis
Lunch will be served

Presentations by:
Ruthann Rudel, MS, Director of Research
Laurel Schaider, PhD, Research Scientist

Highly fluorinated chemicals in wastewater
Highly fluorinated chemicals (known as PFASs or PFCs) are persistent, 
harmful chemicals found in many non-stick, stain-resistant, and waterproof 
products. They are ubiquitous in the environment and can accumulate in the 
body. The U.S. EPA has identified PFASs as priority drinking water 
contaminants. Silent Spring Institute researchers have found PFASs in over 
half of the private drinking water wells tested on Cape Cod. Elevated 
levels of PFASs, originating from foams used by firefighters to extinguish 
gas and oil fires, were found in several Hyannis municipal wells, prompting 
the municipality to install new drinking water treatment systems in recent 
months. PFASs also can be found in household wastewater, which can carry 
the harmful chemicals into groundwater as well as drinking water. We will 
discuss recent Silent Spring Institute testing for PFASs in wastewater from 
septic systems and discuss other potential sources of PFASs in Cape 
drinking water.

Overcoming barriers to adoption of alternative wastewater solutions
To address the harmful effects of excessive nutrient pollution – when large 
amounts of nutrients from human activities enter the environment, 
contaminating the water – Cape communities are looking into various 
conventional and alternative solutions for improving wastewater treatment.  
We will discuss key findings from a recent study conducted in conjunction 
with Northeastern University on attitudes towards one of the proposed 
alternative solutions – eco-toilets – and recommendations for overcoming 
barriers to their adoption.

Developing tools for rapid chemical safety screening
Of the thousands of chemicals on the market, the vast majority have never 
been safety tested because of inadequate regulations and lack of 
cost-effective tools for screening chemicals.  To address this issue, 
Silent Spring Institute has embarked on a new research effort to develop 
ultra-fast chemical screening tools that will allow researchers to test 
hundreds of chemicals at once and zero in on those most likely to increase 
breast cancer risk. This high-throughput screening technology will help 
government agencies regulate chemicals more effectively and assist 
companies in developing greener products.

--
Laurel Schaider, PhD
Research Scientist
Silent Spring Institute
Leading environmental health research to identify opportunities for 
prevention
29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458
www.silentspring.org
(617) 332-4288 ext 224
www.silentspring.org
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