SPAN Executive Director Joins ECOS Roundtable on Lifecycle Management of PFAS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2023
Contact: carbo@s-3group.com
Kevin Fay, Sustainable PFAS Action Network (SPAN) Executive Director, Outlines Policy Solutions and Industry Efforts for Responsible PFAS Management at ECOS Spring Meeting
WASHINGTON – Today, Kevin Fay, Executive Director to the Sustainable PFAS Action Network (SPAN), a coalition of industry stakeholders that advocate for responsible and science-based management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), attended the ECOS Spring Meeting and participated in a roundtable discussion titled, “Lifecycle Management of PFAS.”
The roundtable highlighted industry efforts to reduce PFAS in products and manage destruction or disposal across states.
“PFAS compounds have a widely diverse range of characteristics that require us to manage their use in a way that is sustainable, minimizes risk that may be present in their use, and recognizes the benefits that their utilization bring to society, while at the same time addresses the legacy contamination issues,” said Fay.
When asked about policy solutions, Fay called the EPA Strategic Roadmap on PFAS a step in the right direction and outlined solutions to achieve effective policy changes including:
Identifying PFAS contaminated areas and their sources with remediation plans that can be quickly implemented;
Prioritizing the key compounds for management;
Creating a program that rapidly incentivizes the search for PFAS alternatives;
Identifying realistic transition timetables for the user industries; and essential use exemptions where alternatives do not exist.
Fay also stressed the need for a greater budget and human resources in order to make the Roadmap effective.
Fay was joined by panelists Michael Crisenbery, Vice President, Environmental Compliance, at Clean Harbors and Joe Benco, Director, Engineering, at Republic Services. The roundtable was moderated by ERIS Board Member Aaron Keatley, Chief Deputy Director, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy.
PFAS pollution is an emotional and complex issue and SPAN articulated a commitment to work with industry partners to find responsible and risk-based policy solutions while preserving progress towards a clean and climate-friendly environment.
ABOUT SPAN
Formed in 2021, SPAN members recognize that America’s innovators and industries depend on the responsible management of PFAS compounds. The organization supports science- and risk-based policy approaches that recognize the unique differences of these compounds. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified more than 10,000 materials that are likely to meet the broadest definition of PFAS. However, the number of compounds currently commercially manufactured or used in the United States today is closer to 700. Recognizing the essential role of PFAS compounds in enabling economic prosperity, delivering lifesaving equipment and medicine, climate change mitigation, and national security, among many other important applications, SPAN is committed to their sustainable use and responsible management.
More information about SPAN and industries they support is available by visiting www.span.org.
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