This two-day conference in Boston will address the social, scientific, political, economic, and environmental health issues raised by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). It will examine both ubiquitous exposure in consumer products and discrete historic and recent contamination discoveries in drinking water and soil around the world.

This conference will bring together scientists, government agency professionals, community-based organization leaders, national and regional environmental advocates, retail and industry representatives, journalists, and lawyers. In addition to plenary speakers and panels, there will be time for smaller discussions (e.g., community activism, waste management, journalism).

Dr. Linda Birnbaum, Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, will be the keynote speaker. Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, will also be a speaker.

We hope to provide some financial support for community advocates to attend. If you are interested in applying for support, please email Stephanie at s.knutson@northeastern.edu with a little information about yourself and why you’d like to attend.

The conference is sponsored by the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute (Northeastern University-Boston, MA), Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) Superfund Research Program (Northeastern University-Boston, MA), Silent Spring Institute (Newton, MA), Testing for Pease (Portsmouth, NH), and Toxics Action Center (Boston, MA).