Today's 'Talking PFAS Feature' (recorded 30/4/2021) is a very open and insightful discussion with Boston Attorney, John Gardella, from CMBG3 Law. If you have any interest at all in PFAS Litigation, you don't want to miss this episode. In this episode we discuss litigation in detail in Michigan, Alaska, and we touch on recent litigation in Sweden. This episode will be of interest to a very broad audience.John says currently 550 lawsuits sit on a docket in South Carolina related to PFAS in AFFF, but there are hundreds of PFAS litigation matters in the US that do not relate to AFFF.John Gardella is a Shareholder at CMBG3 Law in Boston, a law firm specialising in the regulatory, litigation, and compliance aspects of numerous environmental and toxic torts issues. He is a member of the firm’s PFAS Team, which counsels clients on PFAS related issues ranging from state violations to remediation litigation. Mr. Gardella has over 15 years of experience litigating environmental and toxic torts matters, including asbestos, PFAS, benzene, lead paint, mold, talc, hazardous waste and pollution matters.John has written two articles recently for The National Law Review (see show notes for Ep 23) about a recent PFAS suit against a paper mill and associated landfill, that settled for 11.9 million in Michigan and a very recent litigation action filed by the Attorney in Alaska against 30 companies for PFAS contamination of the environment. We discuss these today, see links below. The state is looking to collect costs for any past, current or future costs it has or will need to expense to clean up PFAS. Alaska also seeks triple damages, John explains how this works.John says "CMBG3 Law has handled several PFAS litigation cases but numerous compliance related questions (so a company that has not been sued but is looking to take steps to curb PFAS use, comply with regulations, or needs help figuring out where their risks are). We actually do not represent either DuPont or 3M (the two primary makers of PFAS) so our corporate clients are other manufacturing or industrial companies using PFAS or considering doing so if they cannot find substitutes. In some instances it’s even just landowners who bought (unknowingly) polluted land and use it for things not having anything to do with PFAS."John believes when it comes to regulated drinking water levels in the US 'the writing is clearly on the wall that the EPA does intend to take action when it comes to PFAS'. He says 'it is going to happen' and he believes if it doesn't happen this year (2021) it will happen next year (2022). He says there is no doubt in his mind regarding this.https://www.natlawreview.com/article/pfas-paper-mill-settlement-reflects-growing-trendhttps://www.natlawreview.com/article/alaska-pfas-lawsuit-latest-state-action-pfas*The next Talking PFAS Feature episode will publish on 17/6/2021 - guest will be announced in Talking PFAS News on 14/6/2021.*The next Talking PFAS News episode will publish on 17/5/2021Copyright Kayleen Bell JournalistSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is so good to be back after a long season break, for Season 4 of Talking PFAS podcast. There is some important changes this season, as you might have noticed. Today's episode includes a short recap of Season 3 guests and also incorporates the NEW There is so much PFAS news occurring that I decided to create news episodes to cover more PFAS information from Australia and around the world. These news episodes will publish every fortnight, on a Monday. But don't fret if you really love the old format I will still be doing longer interviews and putting these episodes up about every six weeks, these will be called Please feel free to let me know what you think of this change and send me leads at TalkingPFAS@gmail.com. The next Talking PFAS News will publish on 19/5/2021.Talking PFAS News.Talking PFAS Features. Today's Talking PFAS News features discussion about several PFAS litigation events that have occurred or are currently in motion, in Alaska, Michigan, and Sweden. I also include some of my recent interview with Environmental Attorney John Gardella from CMBG3 Law in Boston. He breaks down the current litigation action in Alaska which was filed by the Attorney General against 30 companies, and John also fills us in on the recent PFAS settlement, against a paper mill in Michigan, which settled for $11.9 million US dollars. I had a fabulous and very interesting talk with John Gardella who is the guest in the first Talking PFAS feature for the year which will publish on 6 May 2021, and you don't want to miss this one, if you have any interest in PFAS litigation. John Gardella wrote about both the Alaska and Michigan PFAS litigation in The National Law Review and I will include links in the show notes below.Also in this episode I was kindly given permission by Dave Russell, from Radio Sweden Weekly to play a portion of audio from his show which aired on 15/4/2021. Special thanks to Dave and his team for allowing me to do this. He explains a recent class action which settled in favour of 165 citizens in Kallinge, Ronneby Sweden.Show Notes:Radio Sweden Weekly: Triumph for David over Goliath in water poisoning case. 15/4/2021 -Produced by Dave Russell ( & audio used with permission)https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/1689181Articles by Attorney John Gardella - CMBG3 Law Boston - John is the special guest of the first Talking PFAS Featurewhich will publish this week Thursday, May 6, 2021.PFAS Paper Mill Settlement Reflects Growing Trend - The National Law ReviewWednesday, April 28, 2021 - Attorney John Gardella CMBG3 Law, Bostonhttps://www.natlawreview.com/article/pfas-paper-mill-settlement-reflects-growing-trendAlaska PFAS lawsuit - Latest State Action on PFAS - The National Law ReviewThursday, April 22, 2021 - Attorney John Gardella CMBG3 Law, Bostonhttps://www.natlawreview.com/article/alaska-pfas-lawsuit-latest-state-action-pfasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the last episode for 2020, and the podcast will be on a season break, as I take a break and am in production for a new season in 2021 (publishing end of April). Thank you to all my amazing guests in 2020, and to all the listeners who have continued to listen in a very challenging year.Today's discussion is a fascinating talk with my guest from Zurich, Switzerland. Juliane Gluge and her team spent over a year writing her PFAS Uses paper, "An Overview of the Uses of PFAS," and compiling very detailed extra material to go with her paper. The paper was peer reviewed and accepted for publication in the Environmental Science Processes and Impacts Journal on the 23rd of September, 2020. Juliane is a Senior Researcher in the Environmental Chemistry Group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, called ETH Zurich and this is one of the largest universities in Switzerland. She has done her PhD under the supervision of Martin Scheringer. She studied Biotechnology in Germany, so by training is an engineer in biotechology. She is an environmental scientist who has worked on sources, fate and transport of persistent organic pollutants, including PFAS. There are so many PFAS uses that I had no idea about until this discussion, including PFAS in ammunition, climbing ropes, guitar strings, contrast agents in MRI, and other medical applications. Juliane and her team provide three extra ESI - Electronic Supporting Information documents which are well worth a look, especially ESI-1 which expands on the uses listed in the Appendix of her main paper.I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, and I know you will too, and there will be plenty of information for your to look at while Talking PFAS is on a break. Thank you again for listening.SHOW NOTES:Article: 2017, "A Breath of Fresh Perfluorocarbon" by Daniel Carroll with video presentation by PhD student Diane Nelson (Biomedical Engineering) - "Drug delivery to the lungs using Perfluorocarbon emulsions."https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2017/11/20-nelson-perfluorocarbon.html"Deposition of PFAS 'forever chemicals' on Mount Everest" Kimberley Miner published 17 December 2020https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2020/12/17/miner-finds-outdoor-gear-forever-chemicals-in-snow-near-everest-summit/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today is Professor Ian Cousins, from the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Sweden. He has been studying PFAS chemicals for over 20 years, and is well known in the field for his PFAS research. The focus for today's discussion is his paper published in 2019 called "The concept of essential use for determining when use of PFASs can be phased out." Ian and his colleagues state in their paper that "A phase-out of many uses of PFASs can be implemented because they are not necessary for the betterment of society in terms of health and safety, or because functional alternatives are currently available that can be substituted into these products or applications. Some specific uses of PFASs would be considered essential because they provide for vital functions and are currently without established alternatives. However, this essentiality should not be considered as permanent; rather, constant efforts are needed to search for alternatives."Ian also gives some detail about his latest PFAS project Perforce3, a large European funded project focusing on PFAS called Perforce3. The project will be training 15 PhD's in a wide range of aspects of PFAS science including understanding exposure and toxicology of PFAS, and solutions to remove PFAS from the environment. The project started on 1/1/2020 and . It is a collaboration between different organisations in Europe from 6 different countries and 9 Universities and 4 independent research centres. The project will continue until the end of 2023.SHOW NOTES:." Ian T Cousins et al 2019"The concept of essential use for determining when uses of PFASs can be phased outhttps://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00163H"" Rainer Lohmann, Ian T. Cousins et al 2020Are Fluoropolymers really of low concern for human and environmental health and separate from other PFAS?DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03244"" Juliane Gluge et al 2020An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)DOI: 10.1039/D0EM00291GPerforce3 & Webinar on PFAS and the essential use concepthttps://perforce3-itn.eu/events/perforce3-webinar-on-pfas-and-the-essential-use-concept/Madrid Statementhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/275663380_The_Madrid_Statement_on_Poly-_and_Perfluoroalkyl_Substances_PFASsMontreal Protocol Factsheet Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environmenthttps://www.environment.gov.au/protection/ozone/publications/montreal-protocol-factsheetStockholm Convention & POPShttps://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/ag-vet-chemicals/international/stockholm#:~:text=Australia%20ratified%20the%20Stockholm%20Convention,disposal%20and%20use%20of%20POPsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Paul Bertsch is the Science Director of Land and Water at CSIRO Ecosciences Precinct in Dutton Park, Brisbane, QLD. "Well the big turning point for the whole scientific community, and I know my colleague in CSIRO really took notice as well, would be 2001." Paul says the CSIRO has been mainly involved in looking at the fate and transport of PFAS contaminants in the environment. CSIRO are interesting in developing models to predict the transport. Developing models to predict how it's partitioned in soil, how it moves in groundwater, and then how it is taken up by eco receptors. He says PFAS is a significant global challenge. Paul said he "would really like to see a future where science would inform policy in a way that is transparent to not only to government but also to community."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a fascinating talk with QLD researcher Leisa-Maree Toms from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane. It was recorded before the Covid-19 lockdown in Australia on the 17/2/2020. Leisa has been involved in human biomonitoring in Australia, looking at a range of contaminants in human blood including PFAS. Blood samples for the human biomonitoring program in Australia were first collected as part of The National Dioxin Program in Australia. Out of curiosity researchers used these samples, first collected in 2002, to have a look for PFAS. They have been monitoring for PFAS since that time. Leisa-Maree explains that the human biomonitoring program looks at background levels in the general population, with its main focus being on PFAS in blood samples collected from people in South East Queensland. However Leisa-Maree has been successful in obtaining funding from a NHMRC grant to broaden her their research to other states and territories of Australia.Sample:: "KayleenDo you think that the continued monitoring of PFAS chemicals in Australia is an important thing to do, both for background levels, and also individuals?" Leisa-Maree: "So certainly for background levels, since we have seen this decrease over time. If you want to be comparing occupationally exposed or residentially exposed concentrations you need an up to date background level. So for that reason, it is important to keep monitoring because we have seen a decrease, are we now going to plateau? Are we going to keep on decreasing? Are there secondary exposures that we might be exposed to? Will we see an increase? I think to stay up to date, it is really important to keep that monitoring going."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Chris Higgins, an expert in environmental engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, discusses the pressing issue of PFAS contamination. He highlights innovative soil washing techniques being developed in Australia to tackle these pollutants. The conversation dives into the complexities of PFAS, including their persistent presence in consumer products and the challenges for wastewater treatment. Chris emphasizes the long-term implications for environmental engineers and the need for greater understanding and regulation of these hazardous substances.

This is the final episode for Season 2 and 2019 - Taking a longer break (for other PFAS work) next one due approximately May/June 2020In today’s episode I will be talking PFAS in the waste streams and their release back into the environment, and possible effects of some of these transmission pathways on agriculture and hence the food chain.For the main discussion I will be talking with researcher, Christie Gallen, from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, discussing her research into PFASs in landfill leachate, WWTPs, biosolids and QLD floodwaters.Christie has a background in Chemistry and Biology and has an Honours degree in Chemistry. She currently works as a research assistant in Brisbane.Throughout today’s episode I will bring in some facts from Christie’s research papers and also put a link to her four papers in the show notes.I will also incorporate other relevant information about PFAS in landfills, biosolids, and WWTPs, and also highlight some brief overseas case study examples from Michigan, Maine, and even Alaska.Show Notes: Research Gallen et al1. PFAS flood watersSpatio-temporal assessment of perfluorinated compounds in the Brisbane River system, Australia: Impact of a major flood event (2014)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X140011062. A mass estimate of perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) release from Australian wastewater treatment plants (2018)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00456535183109813. Australia-wide assessment of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill leachates (2017)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389417300870?via%3Dihub4. Occurrence and distribution of brominated flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances in Australian landfill leachate and biosolids (2016)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389416302539?via%3DihubBloomberg Environment Parts Per Billion Podcast - Maine Dairy Farmer Fred Stone PFAS & Biosolidshttps://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/the-farmer-who-got-punished-for-reporting-pollution-podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helena Hinrichsen is an Environmental Engineer from EnvyTech Solutions AB, Sweden was a presenter at the 2019 Clean Up Conference held in Adelaide between 8-12 September. I caught up with her at the conference for a short interview, where we discuss some of the challenges with remediation of PFAS. Helena believes there is not one solution for a PFAS problem, and that collaboration is key to solving the PFAS problem. She says the main three treatments for PFAS are thermal, chemistry and mechanical and Helena says "by combining them we can get a better solution than just using one of them." Helena is involved in, what she believes is the first project in the world, where they are using two combined methods for stabilisation both for groundwater and unsaturated soil, which is the soil above the groundwater. Today's talk is a bit technical but it was great to hear about some methods for treating PFAS. Helena also says, "I think what we all need to know is that we actually are moving forward. It is not always bad things. Yeah it is bad, it is really bad, but good things are happening. Man created it and we are really good at creating things so solutions are coming along so I see there is hope."Show Note Links:Guest speaker Helena Hinrichsen, Project Manager, EnvyTech Solutions AB Sweden http://envytech.se/om-envytech/"Helena has long experience in planning and project management of remediation works and possesses top-level expertise in soil and groundwater treatment techniques. Helena also has long experience of working with overall commitments on remediation projects, which includes all information from the notification and public contacts to planning, project management, monitoring and final reporting."CRC Care has published a link from the 2019 Clean Up Conference where you can download presentations from a range of sessions, including many PFAS sessions. This is where you can see the full presentation by Ian Cousins, Stockholm University, Sweden (mentioned briefly in today's episode) - you will see where he got the number of 4700 PFAS chemicals as well.http://adelaide2019.cleanupconference.com/presentations/IPEN has some great reports on PFAS - here is their latest report referred to briefly in today's episodehttps://ipen.org/news/new-report-perfluorohexane-sulfonate-pfhxs%E2%80%94-socio-economic-impact-exposure-and-precautionarySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's discussion is with Professor Ravi Naidu the founder of CRC Care. This interview was recorded at the CRC Care 2019 Clean Up Conference held in Adelaide, Australia between 8-12 September. There were 700 delegates representing 35 countries, with many world leaders in the field of remediation. In this episode Professor Naidu talks about the important work that CRC Care do in bringing industry, regulators, polluters, and academic professionals together. He says "CRC Care is a Co-operative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment. Our job is to develop innovative technologies and solutions for the prevention, assessment and remediation of contaminated land." He said there are over 160,000 contaminated sites in Australia (*NB there are not all PFAS sites). He said if PFAS sites were included there would be more than 160,000 contaminated sites in Australia mainly in urban areas. In the last 20 years, he says Australia has only managed to remediate about 5% of these sites. Professor Naidu believes PFAS is a far more challenging contaminant than arsenic or lead to come up with solutions. Professor Naidu also discusses CRC Care's funding challenges as their Commonwealth Government funding is due to expire 30 June 2020 and he explains what that would mean in relation to contaminated sites in Australia, if CRC Care failed to continue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.