Incident cancer risk: PFAS-exposed community

Presented by: Mindi Messmer – Research scientist at NH Science and Public Health Task Force Co-authors: Ben Locwin, Nora Traviss, Jeffrey Salloway, Nawar Shara Abstract: Emissions from a plastics coating industrial source in southern New Hampshire have contaminated at least 65 square miles of the aquifer with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals from contaminated effluent and air deposition. Mean serum levels of one PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are twice the U.S. national average of 1.94 µg/L (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018) in public water supply customers. Prior work by New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) determined that cancer incidences in this area do not significantly exceed state-wide incidence rates. However, in this study, risk ratios comparing Merrimack cancer incidences to national cancer rates between 2005 and 2014 indicate that residents are at increased risk for colon, laryngeal, kidney and renal, and brain and central nervous systems cancers and leukemia. Our findings also indicate that Merrimack residents are at significantly greater risk for mesothelioma, esophageal, bladder, and thyroid cancers when compared with national incidence rates. Biography: Ms. Messmer has over 30 years of experience as a state legislator, public health, and environmental advocate. She has an M.S. in clinical and translational research from Georgetown University. Ms. Messmer routinely speaks to educators, scientists, and others on subjects relating to public health concerns. As an NH State Representative, Ms. Messmer used her scientific background to write and pass policy that resulted in the stronger lead, arsenic, and PFAS drinking water standards and focused on policy to prevent cancer.Ope

The Nexus Between Public Health and Community Exposure Concerns: listening, hearing, understanding, and acting

In five southern NH towns, drinking water was impacted by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) emissions from Saint Gobain Performance Plastics located in Merrimack, NH. Stack emission testing conducted by EPA identified 190 PFAS substances in the samples; 101 PFAS were novel. Merrimack residents were not satisfied with a previous analysis of cancer incidences and pushed for further investigation. Our ecological study concluded that Merrimack residents experienced significantly higher incidences of several cancers compared to US incidence rates and demographically similar New England towns with no documented PFAS contamination in the water supply. Our work highlights the need for carefully selecting comparator groups, so the public health impact of PFAS exposure is adequately characterized. In addition, it is imperative, moving forward, to listen to communities impacted by environmental exposure to chemical mixtures and construct studies that are responsive to their concerns.Ope