Grantee Research Project Results
The University of Delaware Study Addressing PFAS, Nitrates, and Emerging Pollutants Concerns
EPA Grant Number: EM840933Title: The University of Delaware Study Addressing PFAS, Nitrates, and Emerging Pollutants Concerns
Investigators: Messer, Kent , Ganguly, Diya , Kecinski, Maik , Heintzelman, Martin
Institution: University of Delaware
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025
Project Amount: $120,000
RFA: Congressionally Directed Spending (2024)
Research Category: PFAS Treatment , Groundwater, Contaminants, Treatment , Water
Description:
This proposal is funding economic and behavioral science research on the public’s response to different aspects of PFAS as an emerging pollutant. This proposal will catalyze research on five studies in various stages of development that will explore the public’s response to information about PFAS and this could impact policymaking as well.
Objective:
How well the public responds to policies around PFAS contamination and how information concerning PFAS pollution may impact individual decisions about adopting detection and remediation measures will not only depend on an objective science understanding of the matter, but also on how individuals and groups of individuals respond to PFAS and PFAS mitigation measures. Currently, little is known about the public’s knowledge and behavioral responses to PFAS pollution. To help fill this information void, this proposal seeks to conduct four incentivized field experiments and one hedonic analysis.This project will help support the final analysis, writing, and public presentations of those three studies already in progress and the fourth and fifth studies will be launched upon the start of the project.
Approach:
The first study tests the public’s behavioral response to recent information concerning human health related to PFAS contamination in drinking water. The second study evaluates information avoidance tendencies, especially regarding information about consumer products that contain PFAS. The third study tests if providing information customized based on participants’ household characteristics impacts people’s willingness to purchase PFAS water filters. The fourth study will evaluate the role of social reputation and responsibility in sustaining cooperative behavior aimed at improving the negative impacts of PFAS pollution. These first four studies are designed to gain insights into an individual’s willingness to pay for mitigation measures and to accept proposed PFAS regulatory interventions. Finally, in the fifth study, we will conduct a survey to study different choice environments concerning homeowners' understanding and valuation of the impacts of PFAS and other groundwater contaminants and associated remediation programs.
Expected Results:
The results from the studies will help improve our understanding how people perceive risk associated with PFAS pollution. They will also shed light onto the behavioral factors that influence risk perceptions related to PFAS pollution and what can be done to improve public understanding and mitigative behaviors. Lastly, the findings from this study will be disseminated at conferences submitted for publication in peer-review journals.
Supplemental Keywords:
PFAS, emerging pollutant, Mid-Atlantic, public policy, decision-making, publicgood, socio-economic, willingness-to-pay, compensation, environmental justice
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.