Abstract
On June 27, 2022, a hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio, an environmental justice
community, caught fire. The incinerator is one of only eight receiving per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) for incineration and received the most shipments in the past year. PFAS, referred to as “forever
chemicals”, represent a large group of synthetic chemicals, including PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and encompass
approximately 5000 different compounds. PFAS exposure has been linked with toxic health effects and the
consequences of PFAS incineration, including the potential of incomplete combustion, are currently unknown.
Due to a longstanding, over 10-year, community-academic partnership with the community, our team had
recently characterized PFAS in soil surrounding the incinerator, thereby providing our team with a unique
opportunity to determine the impact of the fire on PFAS contamination and the extent of this contamination
throughout the community. Through our ongoing research partnerships, we have immediate access to
recruiting families in the community to participate in successfully accomplish the following time-sensitive
specific aims: Aim 1: Characterize post-fire PFAS soil concentrations at the same locations as previously
collected and identify geospatial patterns in concentrations to discern differences pre- and post-fire. Aim 2:
Determine the extent of PFAS exposure in the community by measuring PFAS in residential soil, drinking
water, household dust, and blood samples from individuals who live in close proximity to the incinerator to
begin to identify the route of exposure to PFAS exposure in the community. Aim 3: Engage the community
throughout the process. We will work through our existing partnerships to inform residents of the study, host
community meetings, and provide report-back materials to both community and individuals. We will also
develop a website to keep the community informed about the process. This study will provide key information
for community members, regulators, and scientists about community PFAS exposure following a fire disaster at
a hazardous waste incinerator.
