Board Of Health Discusses Toxic Chemicals, Body Art Establishments, And Wastewater Treatment 

Report On The Meeting Of The Amherst Board Of Health, April 13, 2023

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded. The recording can be viewed here. 

Present
Nancy Gilbert (Chair), Maureen Millea, and Timothy Randhir. Absent: Lauren Mills and Premila Nair

Staff: Jennifer Brown (Health Director), Kyle O’Connor (Program Assistant)

Toxic Chemical Bylaw
Nancy Gilbert noted that Amherst is the only town in the Commonwealth with a Toxic Chemical Bylaw. The bylaw was created in 2001, and she said the Board of Health (BOH) has been wanting to revise and update it. To that end, Facilities Manager Jeremiah LaPlante was asked about the chemicals in cleaning materials purchased for the town. LaPlante said that the town abides by state regulations, and that he prefers to use chemicals that are more environmentally friendly. He did say, however, that it is difficult to know whether a product includes Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in any of its ingredients.

Timothy Randhir pointed out the need for a toxic chemical bylaw for protecting aquifers and the water supply. He commended LaPlante in his proactive efforts to purchase products with minimal environmental impact, but pointed out that products used in other town services, such as grounds maintenance and fire control, might have a heavy concentration of PFAS chemicals.

Timothy Randhir pointed out the need for a toxic chemical bylaw for protecting aquifers and the water supply. He commended LaPlante in his proactive efforts to purchase products with minimal environmental impact, but pointed out that products used in other town services, such as grounds maintenance and fire control, might have a heavy concentration of PFAS chemicals. Randhir said he intends to meet with representatives of the Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMass Lowell before the May Board of Health meeting, and will see if they can come to the meeting. He also mentioned new EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations on PFAS in drinking water that should be taken into account in revising the bylaw, and said he thinks EPA guidelines for PFAS in soil will be issued soon.

Maureen Millea noted that sometimes a cleaning material itself does not contain PFAS, but it picks them up from the storage container, and pointed out that “tiny amounts can make a difference” because PFAS have been shown to cause health problems and do not break down. LaPlante said he agrees with the goal of reducing the use of chemicals. “When I’m replacing flooring, for  example, I’m choosing a floor that doesn’t need to be waxed, buffed, and stripped, so there’s not all these different chemicals that are used fairly regularly on it,” he said.

Regulations For Body Art Establishments
In public comment, Stephen Lambert, owner of Wanderlust Tattoo since 2015, requested a change in Town of Amherst regulations that currently require a tattoo artist to have a GED (General Education diploma) or high school diploma. He states that this regulation has barred “several incredible artists” from working with him at Wanderlust in the past. He pointed out there are no recognized colleges or other institutions where artists can learn tattooing. Rather, artists learn through a master-and-apprentice relationship. He maintained that most towns in the United States do not require a formal education to become “a valued member of the tattoo community”.

Tattoo practitioners need to be licensed by the town annually and have training in CPR, bloodborne pathogens, and skin disorders, as well as certification from a one-year training program or a three-year apprenticeship. Establishments must have an emergency plan and pass regular hygiene inspections. Millea said that needle sterilization is no longer an issue, since modern tattoo parlors use disposable needles, but she thought the regulations should specify that needles be disposed of in a bona fide sharps container. There was also a discussion about whether body art practitioners should undergo regular CORI (Criminal Offender Record Inspection) checks. 

Millea and Gilbert are working on updating the town’s current regulations for body art establishments. Millea noted that cosmetic tattooing is not allowed in Amherst, since it requires different training than body art. She suggested that the town’s guest artist program section be updated, specifying the length of stay allowed. The apprentice program also needs to be codified, she said.

The length of stay for guest artists, the requirement for a high school diploma or equivalent, and the matter of regular CORI checks will be finalized in subsequent discussions.

Implications Of The End Of The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Health Director Jennifer Brown announced that the governor extended the provision allowing for municipal boards to meet remotely until March 31, 2025. She said that the Board of Health meetings will continue to be held on Zoom for now.

With the end of the Covid public health emergency on May 11, the town will be ending its case management of COVID cases. Contact tracer and case manager Joseph Ofosu will be leaving the position he has held since 2021. The town will continue to monitor all infectious diseases, including COVID, for the foreseeable future, but may go to a weekly or monthly posting of cases. The Health Department will continue to intervene in high-risk cases, and the public is always welcome to contact the department with questions or problems.

With the advent of Covid, the need to re enroll in MassHealth or Medicaid annually was suspended. Now that the emergency is ending, individuals will have to re enroll. The Department of Public Health will continue to provide free Covid vaccines until the fall. At some point, the vaccine will no longer be free for adults, but the Health Department will be able to continue free vaccination of children 18 and under the Vaccine for Children program. There is still no word from the Food and Drug Administration about whether a second bivalent booster will be recommended for those 65 and older or at high risk.

“Nips” Pose Hazards For The Wastewater Treatment Plant

Brown said that she sees nip [bottles] discarded all over town. They are not recyclable, and some towns have banned their sale. 

Brown recently toured the wastewater treatment plant and said she was impressed with the plant and the people working there. She observed how the thrice-weekly COVID surveillance was done and how grease, fats, and oil are skimmed off. 

In addition to dental floss, and masks, and flushable wipes which should not be flushed, she noted another major problem: individual servings of alcohol, known as “nips”. Brown said the nips get caught in an  eddy, caused when  effluents from North Amherst, South Amherst, and UMass join together,  and need to be brought up with a large auger. Brown said that she sees nips discarded all over town. They are not recyclable, and some towns have banned their sale. 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. The Board of Health will next meet on May 10, 2023.