Current and former residents in Hyannis are invited to a virtual community event on May 18th to learn about the Massachusetts PFAS and Your Health Study, a new federally-funded study on Cape Cod aimed at understanding the health impacts from past exposure to PFAS in drinking water. The Cape study is part of a nationwide effort to learn more about the relationship between harmful PFAS contaminants in drinking water and their human health effects by studying affected communities around the country, including Cape Cod. Findings from the effort will help local officials and state and federal government agencies make better decisions about how to protect public health and support communities in reducing exposure to PFAS.
Members of the Cape community will get a chance to meet the study team and community partners, learn about the project’s goals, and find out who is eligible to sign up. All are welcome. Register today!
WHAT: Massachusetts PFAS and Your Health Study Community Kickoff. Speaker presentations followed by Q&A with the public.
WHO: Program and Speakers:
- Welcome remarks:
- Cheryl Osimo, Executive Director, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition and Cape Cod Outreach Coordinator, Silent Spring Institute
- Mark Ells, Town Manager, Town of Barnstable, Cape Cod
- Presentations:
- Dr. Laurel Schaider (Project Lead), Senior Scientist, Silent Spring Institute
- Q&A
WHEN: Tuesday, May 18th, 2021, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual. Register here to receive event link.
The Massachusetts PFAS and Your Health Study is afive-year effort led by Silent Spring Institute in collaboration with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Eastern Research Group. The study is focusing on two communities in Eastern Massachusetts—Hyannis and Ayer—where public drinking water supplies have been contaminated by PFAS from the use of firefighting foams at nearby fire training areas. It is one of seven projects funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) as part of the ATSDR Multi-Site Health Study on PFAS. Community partners include Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) and People of Ayer Concerned about the Environment (PACE).
For more information, click here.