More Than 500 People Gather for the Northeast Science of PFAS Conference: Public Health & the Environment

Marlborough, MA - Drinking water, groundwater and surface water, and soil throughout the Northeast have been discovered to be significantly impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in the past several years. More than 500 government officials, scientists, consultants, businesses, vendors and non-governmental organizations will gather in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on April 5-6 to share the latest in scientific information on PFAS. The Conference is organized by the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA). Visit the NEWMOA website for more information.

Other partnering organizations include the Northeast Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC). More than 20 vendors and consulting firms have sponsored the Conference, which will include 32 exhibitors. It will take place in-person at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center in Marlborough, Mass.

The goals of the Conference are to:

• Ensure that local, state and federal action to address PFAS contamination is informed by the most current and reliable science.
• Facilitate networking and information-sharing among key stakeholders on PFAS topics.
• Identify important gaps in the science and policy to help inform future research.

More than 110 distinguished presenters will cover:

• Environmental Behavior.
• Health Impacts and Toxicology.
• Treatment, Remediation and Disposal.
• PFAS Uses and Alternatives.
• Environmental Sampling and Analysis.

Bob Scott, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), emphasized the importance of this Conference, noting that “NHDES’ work to protect human health and the environment from the risks of PFAS contamination must be driven by a reliance on the best available science and this type of forum helps to educate and inform our staff on the latest developments in our region.”  

Terri Goldberg, Executive Director of NEWMOA, stated, “We are very excited to bring together in a unique forum a cross-section of government officials, consultants, vendors, non-governmental organizations and scientists to help advance action to address this critical problem in the region.”

Reporters are asked to bring an email letter from their editor or manager to the Conference stating that the named reporter is covering the Conference on behalf of the publication, television program, radio show, or other media outlet and that the media outlet intends to cover the Conference. Members of the press will be asked to honor the Conference COVID-19 precautions.

COVID-19 Precautions
NEWMOA will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Reporters should bring their vaccine cards to the Conference. For anyone who is vaccinated, we ask that you do a home test the day before you attend the Conference and test negative.

For those who cannot be vaccinated, we will require proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours in order to attend – so if you are not vaccinated, make your PCR test appointment soon for Saturday, April 2, or Sunday, April 3! Since it is not possible to document their results, home test results will not be accepted.

Masks are encouraged but will not be required.

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NEWMOA is a non-profit, non-partisan, interstate association whose membership is composed of the state environment agency programs that address pollution prevention, toxics use reduction, sustainability, materials management, hazardous waste, solid waste, emergency response, waste site cleanup, underground storage tanks, and related environmental challenges in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Visit www.newmoa.org.