August 22, 2022
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a webinar on August 17, 2022, on the “EPA PFAS Strategic Roadmap: Research Tools and Resources.” The webinar provided a brief overview of EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and ongoing efforts by EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) to address key per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research needs for environmental decision-making. During the webinar, ORD scientists highlighted two recently released data sources: EPA’s Systematic Evidence Map (SEM) for PFAS, which summarizes available toxicity evidence for approximately 150 different PFAS, and EPA’s PFAS Thermal Treatment Database (PFASTT), which contains information on the treatability of PFAS via various thermal processes. EPA will post a recording of the webinar within two weeks.
ORD is conducting research to:
- Develop methods and approaches for measuring PFAS in the environment;
- Advance the science to assess human health and environmental risks from PFAS; and
- Evaluate and develop technologies for reducing PFAS in the environment.
Avanti Shirke, MPH, ORD Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA), reviewed the SEMs developed by ORD. According to Shirke, ORD uses SEMs for:
- Prioritization and Scoping: Determine the extent to which the evidence supports an assessment and of what type;
- Problem Formulation: Characterize the extent and nature of the evidence and reveal knowledge gaps/research needs; and
- Updating: Rapidly characterize new evidence to update an assessment or decide whether an update is warranted.
Shirke described ORD’s initial effort in 2019, identifying 150 PFAS (PFAS 150) for in vitro toxicity and toxicokinetic assay evaluation, testing a range of PFAS structures, chemistries, and with environmental relevance. The PFAS 150 data are available for download in EPA’s Health Assessment Workspace Collaborative (HAWC). Laura Carlson, Ph.D., CPHEA, demonstrated how to access the PFAS 150 through HAWC.
To Learn More:
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/epa-holds-webinar-on-pfas-strategic-3522224/