HYANNIS – An update on the research conducted by the Silent Spring Institute on the health effects of PFAS exposure in drinking water was presented at Barnstable Town Hall Wednesday.
A new study, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has involved the Hyannis community, along with the town of Ayer.
“Research so far has linked PFAS exposures with a wide range of health effects, including effects on the immune system, effects on the thyroid, kidney and liver function, certain types of cancer, and elevated cholesterol among others,” said Dr. Laurel Schaider, research scientist for Silent Spring.
Schaider said that while recruitment has not begun for the CDC project, the study will seek out community members in Hyannis to participate in a similar study.
“We do have a separate study called ‘PFAS-REACH,’ and we’re currently looking for parents of preschool-aged children in the Hyannis area to take part in this study,” she said.
Recruitment for the CDC study, according to Schaider, is tentatively scheduled to begin next year. The institute will make announcements on the matter when the time comes.
STEEP, a third study that the Silent Spring Institute is working on alongside the University of Rhode Island and Harvard University, studies PFAS and private wells.
Those interested in learning about or participating in the PFAS-REACH study, click here.
To learn more about the STEEP study, click here.