Highlight of the 2026 National PFAS Conference
Attendees of the 2026 National PFAS Conference gather for a group photo.
On June 8-10, academics, professionals, and impacted community members gathered for the 2026 National PFAS Conference at the University of Arizona Campus. This conference reflected significant work and collaboration between the UA College of Public Health, the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, the UA Office of Research and Partnerships, and the National PFAS Contamination Coalition. Additional collaborators included the Mothers for Safe Air & Safe Water Force, the University of Arizona Superfund Research Center; North Carolina State University Center for Human Health and the Environment; Northeastern University PROTECT Center; North Carolina State University Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS; University of Southern California Superfund Research and Trading Program for PFAS Assessment, Remediation, and Prevention; and the University of Rhode Island STEEP Center. Putting together such an impactful event was only possible thanks to the work of all the partners involved.
PFAS are a group of chemicals commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” attributed to their ability to endure extreme conditions and persist in the human body and environment for hundreds of years. The pre-conference event consisted of separate tours of Tucson and Santa Cruz County along the US Mexico Border. In Tucson, attendees visited the UA West Center, the Tucson Airport Remediation Project, learned about the history of water contamination in the Tucson Southside, and visited an ADEQ pilot filtration system. In Santa Cruz County, attendees learned about water issues from local hydrologists and experts, learned about the challenges with the Nogales Wash, and visited the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Facility that serves both Mexico and the US. Both tours highlighted the unique challenges and successes in our region for addressing PFAS contamination issues.
Over the course of the three-day conference, keynote speakers and forum chairs came together to facilitate discussion on important topics regarding PFAS. Notable topics included the transport of PFAS through the environment and waterways, health outcomes related to PFAS exposure, wildlife and environmental implications of PFAS leaching, economic costs of PFAS contamination, and new developments in the breakdown and removal of PFAS from the human body through clinical treatment. Attendees also shared perspectives stemming from their unique backgrounds and communities, adding valuable context to the topics being discussed at the time.
To learn more about this conference, watch a news story by KOLD here.