EPA Research Partner Support Story: Risk communication resources for PFAS and harmful algal blooms
Partners: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), and state environmental or health agencies (CO, IN, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NY, OH, OR, PA, UT and VT)
Challenge: Improve risk communication strategies for PFAS and harmful algal blooms
Resource: State-level case studies, tools, materials, and strategies for risk communication
Project Period: 2018 – 2019
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are priority environmental issues for states. Proper risk communication is needed to inform the public of PFAS- and HABs-related issues without causing panic. There is also the balance of communicating what different health departments, environmental agencies, and water systems can and cannot do to address the issues. EPA partnered with the ASTHO and ECOS on a collaborative to highlight state-level risk communication of these PFAS and HABs, through our Memorandum of Agreement on environmental health.
“State health and environmental agencies are relied upon by the public to alert impacted communities of risks associated with waterborne contaminants, including PFAS and HABs. The way that these risks are messaged is important in gaining credibility and trust in our governmental partners, so it is important to frame the messages in a unified manner. This project provided a critical opportunity for several states to share how they have developed their health advisories and accompanying media releases, striking a balance between being transparent with known risks but also recognizing potential unknowns associated with the complex contaminant challenges.” – ASTHO Health Security Vice President Meredith Allen, DrPH
In early 2018, ASTHO and ECOS interviewed health and environmental agency staff from 13 states about their risk communication strategies and lessons learned for either PFAS contamination or HABs. ASTHO and ECOS collected information on how selected states’ health and environmental agencies have been addressing PFAS and HABs, including the wording of accompanying risk communication/health advisories and the methods used to communicate them to the public. ASTHO and ECOS compiled the findings to share with other states who are looking to update or create new advisories and supporting risk communication materials for their own jurisdictions.
In 2019, using lessons learned from the previous year’s effort, ASTHO and ECOS compiled existing tools, materials, and strategies for PFAS risk communication. Known as the PFAS Risk Communications Hub, the goals were 1) to increase collaboration between state environmental and health managers, 2) increase accessibility of risk communication models for states and communities, and 3) improve public health through awareness of potential risks of contaminants of emerging concern.