Event programme

The times below are in BST.

2.00pm Welcome from Environment Analyst

2.05pm Opening Remarks from the Chair:

Ian Ross, PFAS Global Practice Leader, CDM Smith

2.10pm Regulatory Update

• Detailing progress on the EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and a whole-of-agency approach to tackling PFAS 
• Outlining use of the EPA Analytic Tools in developing a better understanding of PFAS sources and risks

Matt Klasen, PFAS Council Manager, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Update on the outcomes of the recent Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA) and proposed resulting actions
• Outlining the future Chemicals Strategy work programme as part of the wider REACH restriction proposals

Edward Latter, Chemicals Policy Team Leader, Environmental Quality Directorate, UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

• Outlining current and planned monitoring approaches and strategies for assessing PFAS in the environment

Alun James, Chief Scientist’s Group, UK Environment Agency

• EU-wide restriction proposal for PFAS: Detailing the details of the PFAS restriction proposal that has been prepared and submitted jointly by five European countries in the framework of the EU REACH Regulation and explanation of the next steps in the process

Dr Frauke Averbeck, Scientific Officer, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Federal Office for Chemicals, Germany

3.45pm Evaluating the UK Risk-Based Approach to PFAS Pollution and Remediation vs the US Regulatory-Driven Approach

A panel of industry experts will discuss different international approaches to PFAS contamination, funding mechanisms for monitoring and clean-up, and possible ways forward with regards to the risk assessment and remediation of contaminants.

Panellists:

Shalene Thomas, SVP, Global Emerging Contaminants, WSP

Eric S. Wood, Principal & Global Director, Emerging Contaminants, Ramboll

4.20pm Short Comfort Break

4.30pm Determining the Toxicological Effects of PFAS in Different Environments and the Implications of this for Human Health

Dr. Jamie DeWitt, Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University

4.45pm PFAS Measurement and Upcoming US Regulation: A Laboratory Perspective 

• Current and upcoming trends in PFAS measurement, and the state of official PFAS methods
• A laboratory perspective on the recent Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) proposal for 6 specific PFAS from the EPA

Dr Bharat Chandramouli, Senior Scientist, SGS

5.00pm Q&A

Innovative Remediation Solutions

This session will explore different approaches being taken for PFAS contaminated sites, including novel removal and destruction techniques, as well as technologies being researched and developed globally, with practical examples of their application. 

5.10pm Fighting Against Forever Chemicals – Novel Approaches to Separate and Destroy PFAS

Separating PFAS from water and ultimately degrading them into products that lack carbon-fluorine bonds will be important for decontaminating our water resources. Yet conventional treatment methods have critical deficiencies, such as low affinity toward short-chain PFAS, and are impacted by background organic and inorganic constituents. The recent advancements in the development of PFAS-selective adsorbents now offer the possibility of short- and long-chain PFAS treatment using regenerable sorbents such as cyclodextrin polymers and amine-functionalized materials. 

However, currently available data shows the treatment of PFAS-impacted waters will necessitate a treatment train approach. Such tandem-mode setups would consist of a separation step (e.g., adsorption or nanofiltration) followed by a destruction process applied to the adsorbents, retentate, and/or regeneration solutions. This talk will cover some of the emerging technologies that show promise to solve some of these challenges.

Dr. Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, Environmental Engineer & Group Leader, Office of Research and Development,  US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

5.50pm Closing Remarks from the Chair and close of conference