With the Final Conference on March 30th, the LIFE PHOENIX project reaches its natural conclusion after more than three years of activity. Given the restrictions dictated by the current health emergency, the Conference was held in live streaming with the presence of the staff of the Veneto Region broadcasting from the institutional hall of Palazzo Molin in Venice. The event, open to all interested publics, was mainly addressed to stakeholders (Public Bodies, Research Centers, Universities and Institutions) who have shown particular attention to the project issues, both at a regional level and in relation with the entire national territory. Positive feedback from participation was reported, with about 200 contacts registered during the entire course of the morning (from 9:30 am to 1:45 pm).

The agenda saw the intervention of all the project partners, with a view to sharing the results of the multi-year activity with the audiences. These are the main topics covered: the new perspectives in the management of PFAS (CNR-IRSA), the governance model for the management and prevention of PFAS/PMOC contamination events (Veneto Region), the numerical transport model of pollution (ARPAV), the information and statistical system developed (Azienda Zero), the results of the environmental monitoring in irrigation water, agricultural and vegetable soils (CNR - IRSA), biomarkers for the assessment of cellular stress and mitigation strategies for environmental pollution (University of Padua), the analysis of the socio-economic impacts of pollution from PFAS (CRIEP-University of Padua), and then the communication and dissemination activities of the results achieved within the project, with a focus on what has been accomplished with schools through the presentation of videos made by high school and primary school students selected via the dedicated contest (Veneto Region).

A particular consideration was finally addressed to the alignment, observed during the project activities, between the governance model implemented with the LIFE PHOENIX project and several national and international strategic planning documents, such as the National Prevention Plan (Macro-objective 5 - Environment, climate and health) and the Water Safety Plans (Ministerial Decree of 14 June 2017 and the new EU 2020/2184 Drinking Water Directive). The event ended with the presentation of a summary of the elements that the project has allowed to capitalize in terms of knowledge and ready-made tools, together with the opportunities that can be developed in the near future for the purpose of a preventive and effective management of the problems linked to the contamination of mobile and persistent substances in the environment.