Newswise — “Forever Chemicals” and Lead Exposure: Their Threat to Public Health
Ahead of World Water Day, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will host an expert briefing for the media about efforts to reduce lead and “forever chemicals” levels in drinking water.
The briefing will be held from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 21, via Zoom, and feature Natalie Exum, PhD, MS, and Carsten Prasse, PhD. They will discuss how dangerous levels of lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—also known as “forever chemicals” because they can persist for years—in drinking water are threatening the nation’s public health.
Lead-contaminated drinking water, found in lead pipes and fixtures, poses a significant danger to infants and young children in particular, and can lead to central and peripheral nervous system damage, learning disabilities, as well as impaired growth and hearing.
PFAS are linked to increased cancer risks, hormone imbalances, reduced immunity, and increased cholesterol. A 2023 U.S. Geological Survey study found that at least 45% of tap water in the U.S. could contain one or more PFAS.
Topics will include:
- The Biden administration’s proposal that all lead water service lines be replaced within 10 years.
- Why lead pipes are dangerous and who might pay for their removal.
- The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal that nine PFAS be categorized as hazardous to human health.
Experts:
- Natalie Exum, PhD, MS, assistant scientist in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Carsten Prasse, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering
Registration required: Please register here by 3 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 20, to receive the Zoom link and password. Questions may be submitted via the registration form or via chat during the briefing.
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Resources:
- FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Action to Protect Communities from Lead Exposure
- Lead in Drinking Water
- Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
- Federal Register: Listing of Specific PFAS as Hazardous Constituents
- EPA: Proposal to List Nine Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Compounds as Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Hazardous Constituents
- EPA: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- EPA: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes First-Ever National Standard to Protect Communities from PFAS in Drinking Water
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