Kathie Beasley presented her research on environmental pollution associated with a major Indian festival

Kathie Beasley presented an overview of the environmental pollution associated with Vinayakar Chadturti, a Hindu festival celebrated throughout India. At the conclusion of this festival, large and small statues of this venerated deity are immersed in standing and running water bodies.

The environmental pollution left behind from this annual festival is lasting due to the lead content in paint, and other materials used for making the statutes. Her research focused on the increasing demand for these statues and the impacts of decorative lead-based paints on water quality.