Trump's Dismemberment of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States
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In 2012, two chemists, Mark Strynar and Andrew Lindstrom, specialists in studying persistent compounds, began collecting samples from the Cape Fear River. The river, which winds through North Carolina, has been a site for the discharge of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for decades.
The Cape Fear River supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of residents. PFAS, infamously known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment, have been discharged by numerous industries along the banks of the river. The river, downstream from Fayetteville, is the location of a chemical plant that produces PFAS.
Chemours, a chemical giant, has a plant on the Cape Fear River that produces PFAS. The company was born in 2015 as a spin-off of DuPont. The chemists, Strynar and Lindstrom, were collecting samples from the Cape Fear River as part of their work at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Current findings and ongoing investigations highlight the Cape Fear River in North Carolina as one of the most severely PFAS-contaminated rivers in North America. This contamination is primarily due to decades of toxic waste discharge from the Chemours Fayetteville plant and its predecessor, DuPont.
PFAS contamination has been documented in private wells and the river's watershed for over 40 years. Local residents, like farmers, have experienced direct health and economic impacts, such as shutting down organic farm operations due to contamination concerns.
The state of North Carolina fined Chemours $12 million for violations of clean water laws, based on investigations revealing PFAS pollution in the Cape Fear River from the plant's operations. Chemours agreed to a consent order but has not admitted wrongdoing.
Chemours reports implementing advanced remediation technologies, such as a thermal oxidizer installed in 2019 that claims to destroy more than 99.99% of PFAS air emissions, and ongoing efforts to treat legacy contamination to reduce PFAS discharge into the river.
Federal and state responses include financial investments to address PFAS in drinking water sources. Cumberland County recently received $34.6 million to fund projects for PFAS removal and expanded public water service to replace contaminated private wells.
Environmental groups and local leaders regard North Carolina, and specifically the Cape Fear River area, as a critical site for understanding PFAS contamination and its risks. They cite slow-moving but substantial regulatory and remediation efforts.
Though significant progress is underway, PFAS contamination from the Chemours plant remains an ongoing challenge, with persistent environmental and public health concerns in the Cape Fear River watershed and surrounding communities.
It is worth noting that other chemical contaminants like 1,4-dioxane have been found in regional waterways, but these appear to be separate issues unrelated specifically to Chemours or the Cape Fear River PFAS investigation.
References:
- Cape Fear River Watch
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
- Cumberland County
- Environmental Working Group
- The scientific community continues to investigate the impacts of PFAS on medical-conditions, given their persistence in the environment.
- As climate-change persists, concerns arise about its potential effect on the distribution and breakdown of PFAS in the environment.
- The chemical industry is under scrutiny for contributing to environmental-science issues such as PFAS contamination in water sources.
- Investments in finance are being directed towards developing technology for the removal of PFAS from water systems, contributing to the lifestyle changes necessary for a sustainable future.
- General-news outlets are reporting on the business implications of PFAS contamination, with lawsuits and fines posing significant financial risks to companies like Chemours.
- Education-and-self-development resources now promote understanding of PFAS and its environmental and health consequences, encouraging responsible consumer behavior.
- Meanwhile, sports events and weather forecasts in the Cape Fear River region are providing a platform for raising awareness about the ongoing PFAS contamination issue, advocating for greater accountability and cleanup efforts.
