PFAS Central: sharing notable news, scientific papers & events
Although useful, PFAS or highly fluorinated chemicals are associated with serious health harm and can remain in the environment forever. Learn more
Latest News
The Air Force polluted 4 SC bases with a toxic firefighting foam, didn’t tell neighbors
13 Jul 2019 | The Post and Courier
House measure would declare PFAS chemicals hazardous under Superfund law
12 Jul 2019 | The Detroit News
Some bottled water brands have concerning PFAS levels, Massachusetts regulator warns
12 Jul 2019 | Consumer Reports
Mediation proposed for Wolverine PFAS municipal water dispute
11 Jul 2019 | MLive
Trump Promises to veto a bill banning the military from using toxic products with PFAS
11 Jul 2019 | Pacific Standard
Latest Science
Factors associated with exposure of pregnant women to perfluoroalkyl acids in North China and health risk assessment
15 Jul 2019 | Science of The Total Environment
Adverse liver effects associated with pregnant women when exposed to PFAS.
Evaluation of the airborne pollution by emerging contaminants using bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) tree leaves as biosamplers
15 Jul 2019 | Science of The Total Environment
Citrus tree leaves used to collect airborne pollutants such as PFAS.
Screening of textile finishing agents available on the Chinese market: An important source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to the environment
15 Jul 2019 | Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering
Testing shows that long-chain PFAS are used in the manufacturing of textiles in levels above European Chemical Agency guidelines.
Associations of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances With Incident Diabetes and Microvascular Disease.
15 Jul 2019 | Diabetes Care
PFAS in blood plasma was associated with diabetes and microvascular disease.
Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and infant growth and adiposity: the Healthy Start Study.
15 Jul 2019 | Environ Int
Irregular infant weight associated with maternal PFAS concentrations.
Latest Policy
House gearing up for PFAS in defense bill
9 Jul 2019
The U.S. House of Representatives takes up work this week on what could become its own version of major PFAS legislation attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.
Senate vote requires military, EPA to deal with harmful 'forever chemicals'
8 Jul 2019
The Senate passed the 2020 Defense Spending Bill including a bipartisan amendment that would commission the U.S. Geological Survey to track PFAS contamination nationwide and require public utilities to test drinking water for PFAS. The House is expected to vote on this legislation in July.
New York: The Nation's Most Protective MCLs for PFOA/PFOS Accepted
8 Jul 2019
New York's Health Commissioner has accepted the Drinking Water Quality Council's recommendation to adopt MCLs of 10 ppt for PFOA and 10 ppt for PFOS. These levels are the lowest in the nation. Once adopted, the Environmental Facilities Corporation and the Department of Environmental Conservation will closely coordinate with the Department of Health to help fund and remediate water systems that test above the new maximum contaminant levels.
Germany: Proposes PFHxA restriction under REACH
1 Jul 2019
Germany has submitted its intention to restrict PFHxA and related chemicals under REACH. Chemicals in this group are short-chain PFAS used in many consumer products.
Europe: GenX declared a Substance of Very High Concern
28 Jun 2019
The EU Member State Committee voted to identify HFPO-DA (aka. GenX), as a substance of very high concern due to its probable serious effects on human health and the environment.
Opportunities
Massachusetts: PFAS Drinking Water Standard (MCL) Development
Posted: 20 Jun 2019
MassDEP is in the process of establishing a PFAS MCL of 20 ppt (applicable to the SUM of concentrations for PFDA, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOS & PFOA). Written comments are due by COB on July 19, 2019.
Job: Harvard School of Public Health hiring Post-Doctoral Research Fellow or Research Associate position in Environmental Epidemiology
Deadline: 31 Jul 2019
Professor Philippe Grandjean, Co-PI within the University of Rhode Island Superfund Center (note: his affiliation is Harvard School of Public Health), has a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow or Research Associate position in Environmental Epidemiology open. The qualified applicant will have the opportunity to participate in the design and analysis of studies on environmental risk factors for adverse child development. Opportunities include work with an international, multidisciplinary team of researchers and access to rich longitudinal datasets from birth cohort studies.This position is open until filled.
Job: Earthjustice hiring a Toxic Exposure Scientist
Deadline: 31 Jul 2019
The Toxic Exposure Scientist will work across many disciplines to help develop innovative strategies designed to identify and reduce exposures to toxic chemicals, such as drinking water contaminants and pesticides. The scientist will help advance these policies through litigation and policy advocacy at the federal and state levels. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Environmental Risk Assessment of PFAS
Event: 12 Aug 2019
The 2019 SETAC North America Focused Topic Meeting will review new and emerging information on PFAS an formulate a roadmap for a risk assessment approach for PFAS.
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