1. PFCs Regulations in New Hampshire
Estephanie Aquino
Ruben Gallardo
Josie Yalovitser
This report was written by undergraduate students at Dartmouth College under the direction of professors in the Rockefeller Center. Policy Research Shop (PRS) students produce non-partisan policy analyses and present their findings in a non-advocacy manner. The PRS is fully endowed by the Dartmouth Class of 1964 through a class gift in celebration of its 50th Anniversary given to the Center. This endowment ensures that the Policy Research Shop will continue to produce high-quality, non-partisan policy research for policymakers in New Hampshire and Vermont. 1

2. Methodology 1. Peer Reviewed Literature
Potential Adverse Health Effects
Environmental Impact
2. Federal EPA Recommendations/Programs
3. Case Study Analysis of State Regulations
4. Overview of New Hampshire PFCs Regulations
5. Policy Options
Ruben

3. What are Perfluorinated Compounds?
PFCs are an additive that have been widely used in the manufacturing process.
Made of carbon-fluorine bonds that increase resistance to degradation of natural processes.
Estimated elimination half-life of 3.5 years in human body.
PFOAs and PFOSs are PFCs
Jos

4. Potential Health Effects of PFCs
Low birth weights, accelerated puberty, reduced immunity.
Possible correlation between PFOA exposure and testicular cancer, kidney cancer, increased cholesterol, changes in thyroid hormones.
Findings are still limited due to extrapolation and epidemiological data
Jos
PFCs are manufactured chemicals that can be found in common household items
excessive exposure=harmful to human health.
EPA guidelines= 70ppt
graph shows that in southern NH the rates of PFOAs exposure are higher than in other areas of the U.S--thought to be due ot the Saint Gobain performance plastics plant (

5. Tables from: https://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/tag/pfos/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released from data collected by 3M and DuPont; some humans have more PFOA in their blood than the estimated levels in animals in this study. For a complete review of this study, see the Environmental Working Group’s website,

6. Environmental Impact of PFCs
Long-range transport
Wastewater
Air emissions
Solid wastes in soil
Resistant to degradation through natural processes
Jos

8. Treatment Methods
Closing contaminated wells and blending water sources
Dilution of PFCs
Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
90% rate removal of PFCs
High-Pressure Membrane Filtration
Reverse Osmosis Residential and Industrial Use

9. Existing Federal Legislation
EPA established guidelines 70 parts per trillion
2010/2015 PFOA Stewardship Program
Eight major leading companies commit to reduce emissions of PFOA and PFOS by 95% by 2015

11. New York Feb. 2016 Water Quality Rapid Response Team
Analyze water contamination reports and well sampling
$2 Billion Clean Water Act
Fund improvement of water standards, wastewater infrastructure, addressing contaminants, creating jobs
Hoosick Falls
Free bottled water
Carbon Filtration and GAC system installation
Private well water testing and point-of-entry filtration systems
Josie

12. Vermont Sampling of North Bennington near former Chemfab Facility
Samples PFOA concentration ranged from 40-2,880 parts per trillion
Blood Test Sampling
477 adults and children
2.1 ug/L higher PFOA concentration than average. US population
Emergency concentration level of 20 ppt for PFOA and PFOS implemented and later permanently included to existing legislation

13. Texas
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality established protective concentration levels for 16 PFCs
Includes groundwater, surface water, and soil
Protective concentration levels higher than federal recommendations
Texas Risk Reduction Program
Three-tiered program
Determine if contaminated sites qualifies for exclusion
Identify pollution source
Choose response: remove source of pollution or implement different approach other than removal of contaminant

14. Texas Chemical of Concern Abbreviation Health Value (ppb)
Health Value (ppt)
Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid
PFHxS
0.093 93
Perfluorononanoic acid
PFNA
0.29
290
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
PFOS
0.56
560
Perfluorooctanoic acid
PFOA

15. Michigan
23 sites across 14 different communities in michigan with contamination of PFCs

16. Michigan Wolverine and 3M Lawsuits
Enforceable standard of 70 ppt established in 2018 for PFOA and PFOS
Action Response Team
Mitigation
Empowerment
Communication
costs of this-voluntary action by wolverine and 3M
enforceable standard will guarantee legal liability
the pfoas response team cost an initial 23 million from the governor approved state budget
now running under government administrators--sorta like a new committee accept donations.
public outreach (active role in informing possible exposed citizens)

17. NH Relevant PFC Investigation Sites
NHDES Statewide Investigation 2017
222/1619 >70 ppt of PFOA and PFOS combined
Pease Tradeport
Granular activated carbon vessels installed after levels exceeded provisional health advisory set by EPA.
Blood-Testing
Saint-Gobain
Combined levels of PFOA and PFOS above 70 ppt in surrounding towns of Bedford, Litchfield, Londonderry, Manchester and Merrimack
Textile Coated International
21/235 samples nearby in Amherst had combined levels of PFOA and PFOS above 70 ppt

18. Responses to Contamination
70 ppt health advisory level for PFOA and PFOS in groundwater
Consent Agreement Reached with Saint-Gobain in March 2018
TCI Municipal Water Line Extension Project
Response Team
Investigation
Testing
NH-DES and NH-DHHS Collaboration
Community Exposure Assessment (MVD)

19. graph shows that in southern NH the rates of PFOAs exposure are higher than in other areas of the U.S-(

20. Policy Options Expand the scope of PFCs investigation team
Multidisciplinary approach
Communicate findings to inform legislation
Monitor scientific findings to inform regulatory standards for PFCs in surface water, soil, and ambient air
Regularly update groundwater standard levels for PFCs as more scientific findings on potential adverse health effects of PFCs becomes available
Ruben