PCBs in schools--where communities and science come together

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Science Communication
• Community Engagement

Background:

• The 8th International PCB Workshop shifted focus to PCBs in schools, a critical environmental health concern.
• Previous workshops acknowledged policy but did not center community-specific problems.
• The National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS)-funded Superfund Research Programs mandate bidirectional communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the integration of community engagement into the 8th International PCB Workshop.
• To detail the involvement of activists and community groups, such as Malibu Unites.
• To explore the value of scientist-community interaction for addressing environmental health issues.

Main Methods:

• The workshop featured a plenary talk by an activist and offered 1-day registration for non-scientists.
• Superfund Research Programs' Research Translation and Community Engagement Cores facilitated participation.
• Community involvement was a key component, with a focus on parent-teacher groups.

Main Results:

• The workshop successfully brought together scientists, activists, and community members.
• Direct engagement facilitated the sharing of research relevant to those most affected by PCBs.
• Scientists gained awareness of their societal role in addressing community-level environmental concerns.

Conclusions:

• Integrating community perspectives enhances the accessibility and applicability of environmental health research.
• Bidirectional communication between scientists and communities is crucial for addressing complex environmental problems like school PCB contamination.
• Activist involvement and community engagement are vital for impactful science translation.