Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series

“Toxicology and Public Health in Vermont: PCB testing in schools” by Sarah Vose, PhD, State Toxicologist, Vermont Department of Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are human-made chemicals that were used in building materials and electrical equipment before 1980 and can cause serious health effects. In 2021, a new Vermont law passed (Act 74) requiring all schools built or renovated before 1980 to test their indoor air for PCBs by July 2024. Vermont is the first state in the nation to require testing of PCBs in the indoor air of schools. In addition to testing, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has authority to require that schools make fixes to reduce exposure to PCBs if levels are found at or above the school action level. This talk will outline the development of Vermont’s framework for PCB testing.

Sarah received her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and her Ph.D. in Molecular Toxicology from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed post-doctoral training at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2012, Sarah joined the Vermont Department of Health in Burlington as the State Toxicologist. Sarah oversees risk assessments, cyanobacteria monitoring, private drinking water, chemical emergency response, and the Chemical Disclosure Program for Children’s Products. She is also an Instructor in the UVM’s Master of Public Health program.