Exciting PFAS research and an upcoming campaign

A Note from the Director

Dear friends and colleagues,

As 2022 comes to a close, here at TURI we’re reflecting on a year full of accomplishments, and also thinking about what’s to come in 2023. We recently embarked on a strategic planning process that will take us into next year and beyond — stay tuned for more information on that in upcoming newsletters.

Below, you’ll find more information on exciting research being done by our team in the lab, new requirements for PFAS, and a preview of an exciting upcoming campaign.

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season!

Best,

Baskut

Research Collaboration Provides PFAS-free Solutions for the Electronics Industry

Thanks to a multi-year partnership with TURI and UML research partner Professor Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Ph.D., over the past several months Transene Company, a Danvers-based manufacturer of advanced materials for the electronics industry, is now offering safer solutions to customers that don’t contain toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Because of TURI’s research and innovative solution — designed specifically for Transene — their customers in industries such as radio frequency and microwave chips, lasers, photronics, aerospace and defense have switched to using the new, safer etching products without PFAS.

Transene president Christopher Christuk turned to TURI more than a year ago for help finding viable alternatives to PFAS in manufacturing because PFAS have unique properties that can be difficult to replace. Success was achieved not only when our research team found successful alternatives, but when Christuk and Transene Company quickly adopted the alternatives and started distributing the products to customers.

Now, in the second year of research, the team is researching alternatives that meet criteria for even more of Transene’s customers. While the results are still to be determined, this partnership is without a doubt creating a safer, healthier community.

Eight PFAS Chemicals added to TURA List

EPA has added eight PFAS chemicals to the EPCRA §313 TRI list, which automatically means these substances will be added to the TURA List.

The TURA Administrative Council voted to do so, and for 2023 calendar year reporting those chemicals will now be individually reportable at the lower EPA 100 lb threshold.

For 2022 calendar year reporting (reports due July 1, 2023), they are reportable as part of the TURA PFAS NOL category at typical TURA thresholds. Those chemicals are shaded in grey in Table 4 in the Guidance for Reporting PFAS Under TURA.

TURI is embarking on a “Drive to Zero” campaign to help industry eliminate the use of TCE. TCE has various adverse health effects including cancer, reproductive harm to pregnant women, and increased risk of developing an autoimmune condition. Safer alternatives exist.

TURI’s upcoming Drive to Zero campaign will work to:

Provide technical assistance to entities using TCE that want to make the switch to safer, cost-effective alternatives
Bring awareness of free TURA Services available to MA organizations and companies using TCE
Highlight progress and success stories in reducing the use of TCE and switching to safer alternatives
Address occupational health issues and prioritize users in environmental justice communities

Stay tuned for more information on how the TURA program can help you!