Silent Spring Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and independent scientific research institute based in Newton, Massachusetts. It’s one of the nation’s leading authorities on environmental chemicals and cancer, with particular expertise in breast cancer and preventable risk factors. The institute’s research spans other women’s health-related topics as well.
History and Purpose
The nonprofit organization was founded in 1994 by the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, which called for a scientific investigation after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a study showing cancer rates by town were elevated for eleven of fifteen Cape Cod towns. "Our Story," Silent Spring InstituteCynthia McCormick, "Silent Spring Institute Seeks More State Support," Cape Cod Times, October 20, 2014 The institute formed as a result of this investigation by prioritizing the environmental links to disease burdens. Its scientific team has done field testing on Cape Cod and collaborates with private and academic laboratories. A study by researchers at the institute, published in 2004, showed that the longer that women lived on Cape Cod, the higher was their breast cancer risk.[McKelvey, W., J.G. Brody, A. Aschengrau, and C.H. Swartz (2004) "Association between Residence on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Breast Cancer", in Annals of Epidemiology, 14 (2), pp.89–94] In 2014, the Cape Cod Times recalled that:
From the start, Silent Spring Institute researchers were interested in whether environmental toxins were having a particular influence on the Cape's drinking water, which is served by a sole source aquifer and leaches through sandy soil that in theory allows wastewater – and contaminants – to drain into the water supply more quickly than through other types of soil. Silent Spring researchers have tested water in public and private wells for the presence of chemicals known as emerging contaminants and have visited scores of Cape homes to measure for the presence of hormone-disrupting chemicals.
The organization has demonstrated various forms of thought leadership in the field of environmental public health. For example, the institute established a Pathway to Prevention – which calls for removal of toxic chemicals from food, water, air, and consumer products. The model takes scientific research conducted by the organization and other leading research groups and translates it into action with the goal of prevention.
Research
Background
The only independent research institute dedicated to studying breast cancer prevention, Silent Spring Institute has established a reputation for exemplary research. McPartland, Jennifer, H. C. Dantzker, and C. J. Portier (2014) "Building a Robust 21st Century Chemical Testing Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Recommendations for Strengthening Scientific Engagement," in Environmental Health Perspectives, p.15Brown, Phil (2007) Toxic Exposures: Contested Illnesses and the Environmental Health Movement, Columbia University Press, Ch.2. In keeping with Silent Spring's commitment to collaboration between scientists and activists, researchers report individual exposure results to all individuals and communities participating in its studies. The institute has become a pioneer in developing ethical methods for communicating results when the health implications are uncertain.Brody, Julia Green, S.C. Dunagan, R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, S. Patton, and R.A. Rudel (2014) "Reporting Individual Results for Biomonitoring and Environmental Exposures: Lessons Learned from Environmental Communication Case Studies", in Environmental Health, Vol. 13 In 2000, Silent Spring's research was honored with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Merit Award. List of recipients, 2000
Silent Spring Institute states their research “produce[s] new knowledge about the health risks associated with cancer-causing chemicals where we live, work, and play,” and they “[develop] new technologies and methods for reducing exposures to hazardous chemicals and helping manufacturers create safer products.” The organization’s core values are 1) prioritizing prevention, 2) focusing on women’s health, 3) supporting communities, and 4) pursuing environmental justice."Core Values," Silent Spring Institute
The research papers of Silent Spring Institute from 1988 to 2006 are archived at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard, which has prepared a detailed finding aid.
Projects
Research on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Silent Spring scientists first detected PFAS in public drinking water supplies on Cape Cod in 2009. Since then, Silent Spring Institute has become a leading authority on PFAS in drinking water.Schaider, Laurel, et al. “Emerging Contaminants in Cape Cod Drinking Water.” Silent Spring Institute. May 2010. https://silentspring.org/sites/default/files/teaser/2019-02/DrinkingWaterStudyReport%202010.pdf For example, in 2019, Silent Spring launched the Massachusetts PFAS & Your Health Study, one of seven projects that form the CDC/ASTD Multi-Site Study,“Multi-Site Study.” ATSDR Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Your Health. Accessed 2026. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/health-studies/multi-site-study.html to investigate the health impacts of PFAS. The Massachusetts PFAS & Your Health Study is investigating two communities, Ayer and Hyannis, where the drinking water has been contaminated by PFAS from the use of firefighting foams.“CDC/ATSDR Multi-site Health Study on PFAS.” Silent Spring Institute. Accessed 2026. https://silentspring.org/project/cdcatsdr-multi-site-health-study-pfas
To help communities impacted by contamination, Silent Spring and its partners created the PFAS Exchange – an online resource with information on reducing exposures and medical guidance for clinicians.“PFAS Exchange.” The PFAS Exchange. Accessed 2026. https://pfas-exchange.org/ 8 Schaider, L.A., S.A. Balan, A. Blum, D.Q. Andrews, M.J. Strynar, M.E. Dickinson, D.M. Lunderberg, J.R. Lang, G.F. Peaslee. 2017. Fluorinated Compounds in U.S. Fast Food Packaging. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 4(3):105–111. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00435 Silent Spring also works upstream to help restrict the use of PFAS in consumer products. For example, in 2017, the institute showed that PFAS are widespread in U.S. food packaging. This then led to several state bans on the use of PFAS in food packaging.Schaider, L.A., S.A. Balan, A. Blum, D.Q. Andrews, M.J. Strynar, M.E. Dickinson, D.M. Lunderberg, J.R. Lang, G.F. Peaslee. 2017. Fluorinated Compounds in U.S. Fast Food Packaging. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 4(3):105-111. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00435 Likewise, in 2019, the institute’s scientists published a study in which they found PFAS in dental floss, including Oral-B Glide.Boronow, K.E., J.G. Brody, L.A. Schaider, G.F. Peaslee, L. Havas, B.A. Cohn. 2019. Serum concentrations of PFASs and exposure-related behaviors in African American and non-Hispanic white women. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. 29, 206–217. doi: 10.1038/s41370-018-0109-y In 2025, the company posted on its website that it no longer uses PFAS in its products.“Dental Floss Types.” Oral B. December 9, 2025. https://oralb.com/en-us/oral-health/why-oral-b/floss/dental-floss-types-the-pros-and-cons/
Silent Spring Institute's Safer Chemicals Program
Through Silent Spring Institute’s Safer Chemical Program, launched in 2018, researchers are working to identify the mechanisms by which chemicals may cause breast cancer.“How do we identify chemicals that cause breast cancer?” Silent Spring Institute. Accessed 2026. https://silentspring.org/our-science/how-do-we-identify-chemicals-cause-breast-cancer Their goal is to strengthen how chemicals are tested for safety before they are put into products. In 2024, a landmark study by Silent Spring identified 921 chemicals that could influence the development of breast cancer by activating biological pathways that are key characteristics of breast carcinogens. The research showed that half of these chemicals cause cells to make more estrogen and progesterone.Kay JE, Brody JG, Schwarzman M, Rudel RA. Application of the Key Characteristics Framework to Identify Potential Breast Carcinogens Using Publicly Available in Vivo, in Vitro, and in Silico Data. Environ Health Perspect. 2024 Jan;132(1):17002. doi: 10.1289/EHP13233. Epub 2024 Jan 10. PMID 38197648; PMCID:PMC10777819. A subsequent study by the team found that 414 of these chemicals are used in plastics.Shakti, R., J.E. Kay, E.T. Franklin, J.L. Ohayon, J.G. Brody, M.B. Terry, R.A. Rudel. 2024. Why the UN treaty on plastics can reduce early onset cancers. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00942
Report on Phosphate Flame Retardants Exposure (2014)
Researchers from the institute and from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, reported that there had been "limited information" about Americans' exposure to phosphate flame retardants and how such exposure might affect their health, so in 2011 a urine analysis and study was made of sixteen California residents, and all were found to have traces of three harmful chemicals – bis-(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), tris-(1,3-dichloro-isopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and bis-(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP).
The lead researcher, from Silent Spring, Robin Dodson, said: "We found that several toxic flame retardants are in people's bodies. When you sit on your couch, you want to relax, not get exposed to chemicals that may cause cancer.” Medical News Today said that "Flame retardant chemicals are found in a variety of products that we come into contact with every day, such as carpets, sofas, curtains and even baby products. The chemicals were introduced to these products in the 1970s to reduce the likelihood of ignitability."Honor Whiteman, "Researchers Discover Type of Toxic Flame Retardant in Americans for First Time," Medical News Today, November 15, 2014 It noted that another chemical, tris-(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), "known to cause cancer and reproductive problems in humans," was found in about 75% if the subjects and that it had "never before been discovered in Americans." Counsel and Health noted that "The team also found that residents with the highest levels of TCEP and TDCIPP in their urine lived in homes that had respective chemical in dust, which suggests that the home and the furniture in it are exposing people to toxic flame retardants."Cheri Cheng, "Researchers Identified Flame Retardant, TCEP in Americans for the First Time," Counsel & Heal, November 12, 2014A Previously Unrecognized Flame Retardant Found in Americans for the First Time, Science Daily, November 12, 2014
Medical News Today concluded: The researchers note that there are strategies consumers can adopt to reduce their exposure to toxic flame retardants. Because the chemicals are likely to gather in dust, they recommend that individuals use a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to vacuum their homes. This filter traps particles, rather than recirculate them back into the air. They also recommend that people throw away any foam that is deteriorating in their households, as it is possible such products may emit higher levels of toxic chemicals.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Study Identifying Breast Carcinogens (2014)