PFAS are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals developed in the 1940’s that do not break down easily in the environment or in the human body. These chemicals are used to make items resistant to water, grease, and stains, and are often present in non-stick cookware, fast food packaging, and firefighting foams. They are accumulating in the environment, water resources, and the human blood. They are primary exposed to drinking contaminated water, eating food packaged in PFAS, eating fish/crops grown in contaminated areas, etc. The studies have linked exposure to increased cholesterol, immune system suppression, liver enzyme changes, reduced, reproductive issues, development delays in children, and increased risks of kidney and testicular cancer.
We have seen regulatory agencies like the EPA setting limits on drinking water due to their health risks. Recently, the State of Wisconsin passed new regulations aligning state drinking water standards with strict federal limits for PFAS. Wisconsin has faced problems in multiple cities because of firefighting foam!
The Green Bay Innovation Group is heading up events with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Fresh Water Collaborative to address the issues of PFAS to educate industries and the people of Wisconsin to look for solutions impacting all of us.
Join us for a PFAS conference on April 15, 2026, in Stevens Point. The conference will foster innovative conversations among experts in industry, academia, government, and nonprofits about research and development of alternative materials as well as PFAS remediation and filtration methods.
The Green Bay Innovation Group, in collaboration with UW-Madison, will host a distinguished featured speaker and a panel of industry experts on PFAS at Lambeau Field on June 2, 2026. The speakers include:
- Graham Peaslee, Professor at the University of Notre Dame, discusses packaging and PFAS.
- Dave Garlie of Cross Plains Solution mission is to help eliminate PFAS in firefighting foam.
- Christy Remucal of UW Madison College of Engineering Aquatic Chemistry
- Lane Ruhland Lobbyist representing the Wisconsin Paper Council on PFAS regulations.
