The PFAS manufacturer upstream of Wilmington has asked the Department of Environmental Quality for a permit which would allow it to expand operations. In response, Councilwoman Salette Andrews brought a resolution to Wilmington City Council opposing that expansion.
Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette introduced the resolution.
"Chemours is a classic bad actor,” he said.
He outlined myriad ways he says that’s the case: refusing to pay for drinking water upgrades, lobbying against PFAS regulations, and violating the terms of the consent order under which they operate.
"What this pattern of behavior shows is a company that is willing to put public health and the environment at risk in order to maximize profits. new analysis shows ultra short chain PFAS are being discharged by Chemours in alarming amounts, and these compounds are being found in finished drinking water in Wilmington despite the upgrades undertaken by CFPUA,” he said.
He added that the facility expansion at Chemours Fayetteville Works could increase production by 20% and discharge an additional ton of PFAS annually.
The resolution passed through council unanimously. It asks NCDEQ and other regulatory agencies to deny the permit until Chemours remediates existing contamination and proves itself to be a good environmental steward.
Note: Chemours has not yet responded to a request for comment.
