Community advocates, industry experts share public health concerns at PFAS conference in Tucson

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced efforts to roll back limits on certain PFAS, or forever chemicals, in drinking water.

That’s one of the topics of discussion among researchers and community advocates this week at the National PFAS Conference at the University of Arizona.

"Bringing people from different states together about how they tackle these issues in their states might be perhaps our most powerful contribution at a time when the federal laws are a little bit more difficult," said Paloma Beamer with UA, who co-chairs the conference.

Many attendees shared concerns that federal and state regulators aren’t doing enough to address PFAS contamination in the environment.

"They know better. … They know better because the science has been there for many years. They know better, let’s make them do better," said Julia Varshavsky with Northeastern University.

PFAS chemicals have been linked to negative health outcomes, including certain cancers.

Avi Kar is with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“People can take steps in their own lives to reduce exposures to some degree, but at the end of the day, when it’s so widespread, we need policy solutions," Kar said.

The use of firefighting foams at Davis Monthan Air Force Base has led to groundwater contamination in Tucson. PFAs chemicals have also been detected in public water systems statewide.

Participants from across the country shared similar stories from their own communities. In the last year, the EPA cut its Office of Research and Development and has proposed limiting federal protections for drinking water.

Gretchen Salter is with Safer States, a collective of environmental health organizations.

“So we are seeing an assault really on public health. But what's happening is that you have communities like this that are fighting back," Salter said.