Wilmington Blocks Chemours' Expansion Bid Amid Ongoing PFAS Pollution Concerns

In a move to protect public health, the Wilmington City Council has unanimously voted against Chemours' request to expand its production at the company's Fayetteville, North Carolina plant. The council's decision comes amid concerns over the plant's documented history of releasing harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into the nearby Cape Fear River and surrounding environment.

According to the council's resolution, Chemours and its predecessor DuPont have previously contaminated the drinking water supply serving over 500,000 residents in the region. The PFAS chemicals have caused "public health concerns, environmental degradation, and economic burdens on local governments and residents" who have had to invest in costly water treatment upgrades and health monitoring.

The council also noted that Chemours has underreported its PFAS emissions and violated its air permit and a 2019 Consent Order. Airborne PFAS emissions from the plant have polluted more than 11,000 private drinking water wells across 10 counties, resulting in PFAS levels thousands of times higher than federal drinking water limits.

Wilmington Councilmember Salette Andrews expressed the council's "deep concern about the ongoing contamination" and the risks PFAS pose to residents' health. She emphasized that protecting public health must take priority over corporate expansion plans.

Despite Chemours' claim that the proposed expansion would ultimately reduce the site's overall PFAS air emissions by 15%, the council remains steadfast in its decision, urging state and federal regulators to deny any permits or approvals that would enable the company to expand its operations.