NEWPORT — The Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA) will hold a panel discussion on the science and monitoring of an emerging class of chemicals called PFAS/PFOA.
Pre- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are man-made chemicals that have been used for decades in the manufacturing of common household items like Teflon pans, fabric and furniture, and are also the by-product of some industrial processes.
These chemicals are persistent in both humans and the environment and have been linked to human health problems.
Panelists are:
Appla Raju Badiredy, Ph.D. and Wenyu Zhu, Ph.D. of the University of Vermont Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Angela Slitt. Ph.D. of the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation geologist Jonathan Kim, Ph.D. of the Vermont Geological Survey.
Richard Spiese, hazardous sites project manager of the Waste Management and Prevention Division of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
The moderator will be Charles Woods of Morgan, a retired biology professor and Department Chair of the University of Florida.
This program is part of the MWA’s annual meeting to be held on Friday, June 2, at the Gateway Center.
The business meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., with the panel discussion at 7 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served.
To help raise awareness of this emerging class of chemical and how common they are in our daily lives, MWA is collecting household item the contain PFAS/PFOA and will be teaming with local artists to create a sculpture out of these items to be unveiled in late summer or early fall.
Items appropriate for this project are Teflon pans and utensils, fabrics or small furniture, empty paint or household cleaner containers
