PARKERSBURG – The Peer Consulting Panel studying how C8 migrates finished its public meetings Tuesday in Parkersburg.
The two-day meeting was to review a preliminary report as part of the DuPont-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Memorandum of Understanding and Phase II Workplan. The studies address C8 at and near the DuPont Washington Works plant and the panel reviewed findings to give the company and EPA guidance on what they should consider in subsequent studies.
During a brief public comment period, an official from Little Hocking Water pointed out a couple of things not represented in the data assessment such as certain well systems around the area as well as a small DuPont facility near Little Hocking that may or may not be a pollution source that was not listed in the preliminary report, but should be included for the sake of completeness in the report. He also addressed gaps in some of the data provided in the pathways of PFOA migration and no plan of action presented on how to handle it to which panel members said some of what they discussed during the meeting Tuesday would address some of those concerns.
In the report, the panel discussed that the ingestation of drinking water, from both public service districts and private sources, has been the greatest route of PFOA exposure by the local population. However, ground water and surface water may be used as a source of drinking water for livestock and irrigating crops.
No detailed analysis has been done to show how much PFOA was in these sources as well as fish people catch in the rivers and consume.
”Biological data is important,” said panel member Kannan Kurunthachalam. ”Fish can be an important source of exposure in addition to drinking water.”
Panel Member Scott Mabury said something needed to be in place to distinguish between the more recent PFOA emissions in the surface water and sediment from the historical emissions which have been in the area for awhile.
”I think it is in everyone’s best interest to show that difference,” Mabury said.
The final report from the panel is expected to be submitted to the EPA by July 10.
Also, the C8 Science Panel, which is reviewing medical data will hold a press-only briefing 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Grande Pointe Conference Center, Vienna, to release and discuss results on the rate of C8 clearance from the body after installation of water filters, reproductive outcomes in relation to C8 among participants and immune function in relation to C8 among participants.
Participating are the three court-appointed scientists to the panel, Dr. Kyle Steenland, Dr. Tony Fletcher and Dr. David Savitz.
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