ECOS-EPA Bimonthly PFAS Call
June 20, 2018
4:00-5^00 pm ET
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Webinar link: http://epawebconferencing.3cms.com/pfasiune20/
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Agenda 4:00 Welcome and Introductions (US EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD)) 4:05 CDC/ATSDR Toxicological Profile on Perfluoroalkyls (Dr. Pat Breysse and Dr. Bill Cibulas,
CDC/ATSDR) 4:20 Update: PFAS Risk Communication State Case Studies (Sarah Grace Longsworth, ECOS) 4:25 MassDEP Drinking Water Guidelines for 5 PFAS Chemicals (Dr. Mark Smith, Mass DEP) 4:40 Recap of the PFAS National Leadership Summit and Next Steps: Evolving plans for community
engagements (Jennifer McLain, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, US EPA) 4:55 Open Forum 5:00 Adjourn
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
Tier 10
ED 002061 00268127-00001
AGENDA TOPIC DESCRIPTIONS:
CDC/ATSDR Toxicological Profile on Perfluoroalkyls Today ATS DR released online a Toxicological Profile (Tox Profile) on PFAS for public comment. This document includes minimal risk level values (MRLs) for Perfluoroalkyls. To learn more about PFAS, or to access PFAS-related materials, please visit: https://www.atsdr.cdc.Rov/pfas/index.html.
Tox Profile for Public Comment ATS DR's Federal Notice, "Availability of Draft Toxicological Profile: Perfluoroalkyls" (docket number ATSDR-2015-0004 or the document number 2018-13385), will be posted online on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at 9:00 am. The public can view: www.federalregjster.EQV-
The document will officially publish in the Federal Register on Thursday, June 21, 2018. The public can begin commenting on the notice electronic shortly after 9 am Thursday, June 21st by visiting www,regulafions.gov.
FAQs What is a Tox Profile? Congress mandates that ATS DR produce Tox Profiles that include an examination, summary, and interpretation of available studies of the health effects of a hazardous substance. The primary users of these documents are expected to be researchers and health professionals, including health assessors at the regional and state level. Profiles go to peer review (shared with experts in the field) before they are released for public comment in the Federal Register. After the comment period, ATS DR considers all comments, revises the documents, and then finalizes the profile. If there are significant revisions as a result of the public comments, the profiles are again peer reviewed before releasing as a final.
To access all current Tox Profiles please visit: htt:ps://www,atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiies/jndex.asp
What's new in the PFAS Tox Profile? This draft of the PFAS Tox Profile updates minimal risk levels (MRLs, explained below) for two PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) and sets new MRLs for two additional PFAS chemicals (PFHxS and PFNA). Updated, reliable and sufficient data were published in scientific literature after the previous 2015 draft. All four MRLs in the updated version of the Tox Profile are considered draft until they have been finalized following the public comment period.
What are MRLs, and how are they used? An MRL is an estimate of someone's daily exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk to their health. It looks at non-cancer health effects only. MRLs are derived for different exposure periods, including: acute (about 1 to 14 days), intermediate (from 15-364 days), and chronic (exposure for more than 365 days).
MRLs are used as a screening tool that help identify exposures that could be potentially hazardous to human health. Exposure above the MRLs does not mean that health problems will occur. Instead, it is a signal to health assessors to look more closely at a particular site where exposures may be identified. For information on Minimal Risk Levels please visit: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mrls/index.asp
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
Tier 10
ED 002061 00268127-00002
PFAS Risk Communication State Case Studies This month, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Environmental Council of States (ECOS) will host two webinars to highlight state-level risk communication of waterborne contaminants. In early 2018, ASTHO and ECOS interviewed health and environmental agency staff from 13 states about their risk communication strategies and lessons learned for either PFAS contamination or harmful algal blooms (HABs). Results were compiled into brief case studies that outline the states' overall efforts, risk communication efforts, relevant resources, key messages for the public, and challenges in the states' programs or communications. The webinars will provide key findings from the case studies and offer potential considerations to others seeking to implement or improve their risk communication practices. Webinars for PFAS (PFAS registration) and HABs (HABs registration) will be June 14 and June 21 respectively.
MassDEP Drinking Water Guidelines for 5 PFAS Chemicals MassDEP's Office of Research and Standards guidance values are usually developed when there are no federal standards or guidance. US EPA published a Health Advisory for PFOA and PFOS at 70 parts per trillion (ppt). Due to similar health concerns, MassDEP established its guideline to include the following three additional PFAS chemicals: perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA). The ORS Guideline (ORSG) is 70 ppt, and applies to the total summed level of all five compounds. Based on this ORSG, MassDEP recommends the following:
1) Consumers in sensitive subgroups (pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants) not consume water when the level of the 5 PFAS substances, individually or in combination, is above 70 ppt.
2) Public water suppliers take steps expeditiously to lower levels of the five PFAS, individually or in combination, to below 70 ppt for all consumers.
According to the Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations [310 CMR 22.03(8)], if MassDEP finds on the basis of a health assessment that the level of any contaminant in drinking water at a Public Water System poses an unacceptable health risk to consumers, the PWS must take actions to achieve safe levels and also to provide public notice. Large Public Drinking Water Systems (serving more than 10,000 persons) have already tested for these chemicals. Approximately 3 percent of the Public Water Systems tested in Massachusetts found PFAS at some level. MassDEP is working with those affected systems. MassDEP is also continuing to research where PFAS may have been used and is considering a testing program for PFAS in a targeted universe of smaller Public Water Systems that are close to areas where PFAS has been found or may have been used. MassDEP will keep you posted as we move forward with additional work in this area. Background information on the establishment of this ORSG can be found at: https://www.mass.aov/doc/massdep-office-of-research-standards-final-recommendations-for-pfastoxicity-guidance MassDEP Fact Sheet "PFAS in Drinking Water: Questions and Answers for Consumers" can be found at: https://www.mass.aov/lists/contaniinants#pfas-per-and-poiyfiuoroaikyi-substances-inciuding-pfos-andpfoa-
Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA
Tier 10
ED 002061 00268127-00003