Chemours Chemical Co. will face tougher requirements for monitoring, reporting, and communication about its emissions of industrial PFAs chemicals under a revised proposed consent order between the company, Cape Fear River Watch, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
The revised order, submitted for a Bladen Superior Court judge's approval by the state agency on Wednesday, includes stricter requirements than those in the previous version. For example, Chemours will be required to assess river sediment contamination, create toxicity assays, and submit monthly reports on air emissions of GenX and other PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to the state agency.
Chemours' facility near Fayetteville has for years discharged GenX and other industrial PFAS into the drinking water of more than 200,000 North Carolinians.
"We are pleased to see that the revised order reflects toxicity, contamination, and reporting concerns voiced by the public, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, and our local representatives," said Erin Carey, coastal programs coordinator for the N.C. Sierra Club. "Chemours should be held accountable for its pollution and this order is a good step toward protecting the environment and people living in communities nearby and downstream."