A chemical class approach to regulating PFASs in consumer products

Bălan, Simona

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/109849 Copy

Description

Title

A chemical class approach to regulating PFASs in consumer products

Author(s)

Bălan, Simona

Issue Date

2021-04-27

Keyword(s)

• PFAS
• chemical class
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Abstract

Presented by: Simona Bălan – Senior Environmental Scientist at California Department of Toxic Substances Control, simona.balan@dtsc.ca.gov Co-authors: Vivek Mathrani, Christopher Leonetti, Dennis Guo, Armeen Etemad, André Algazi Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of thousands of manmade chemicals that contain at least one fully fluorinated aliphatic carbon atom. Due to their unique physico-chemical properties, PFASs have over 200 uses, including in many consumer products. This has resulted in widespread human exposure and ecological contamination, with potential adverse impacts for the foreseeable future. However, a lack of data for most PFASs severely limits the applicability of traditional risk-based approaches to the regulation of PFASs in consumer products. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), which runs the state’s innovative Safer Consumer Products program, has been researching and engaging with stakeholders regarding PFASs in consumer products since early 2016. Rather than focusing on individual PFASs, DTSC is pursuing a chemical class approach to drive the adoption of safer, non-PFAS alternatives. This talk will illustrate DTSC’s approach to regulating PFASs as a class in several consumer products. This approach may help inform other regulatory agencies seeking to efficiently address this large class of chemicals with common hazard traits. Biography: Simona Bălan, PhD, is a Senior Environmental Scientist at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), where she works to implement the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) regulations and leads several teams that research and regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in certain consumer products. She also lectures in environmental health at the University of California, Berkeley, from where she holds a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy and Management.

Series/Report Name or Number

2021 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC21)

Type of Resource

• text
• still image

Language

en

Permalink

• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/109849
• https://youtu.be/MXd6JbkzdKg

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