The event will take place May 31, 2019 at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
The discovery of GenX and other emerging contaminants in drinking water supplies and the Cape Fear River has caused intense and widespread public concern for residents of Southeastern North Carolina and other affected areas of the state. Belonging to a group of man-made industrial chemicals known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), GenX is one example of these unregulated compounds found in our drinking water, environment and air.
On May 31, 2019, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, the PFAS Testing Network and UNC Wilmington will host a free, public forum in Wilmington to educate residents about ongoing research to better understand these chemical compounds and their effects on the environment, drinking water and human health.
Funded through the NC Policy Collaboratory at UNC Chapel Hill, the PFAST Network is comprised of multi-disciplined research teams from North Carolina State University, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Wilmington, UNC Charlotte, East Carolina University, North Carolina A&T and Duke University.
The event will take place in UNC Wilmington’s Lumina Theater at the Fisher Student Center from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The forum will be followed by a free and public reception in the Clock Tower Lounge to allow residents to engage directly with the experts on this serious issue.
“This forum will give residents and our regional leaders an opportunity to hear directly from top university researchers working to understand the scope and effects of the exposure to these contaminants within this region,” said Tracy Skrabal, Southeastern regional manager and coastal scientists for the federation.
“The issues surrounding emerging contaminants are incredibly complex and evolved over many decades, and this targeted research is critically needed to inform and guide our state and regional policy and enforcement actions. Ultimately, our shared goal must be to restore safe drinking water and a natural environment to our residents and visitors and to ensure that there is no future ‘GenX Crisis.’”
While the event and reception are free and open to the public, seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, visit nccoast.org/pfastforum.
