For over 40 years, a chemical plant has been dumping contaminated wastewater into the Cape Fear River, rendering the water unsafe to drink for 100 miles. This week, the United Nations panel has declared the pollution a human rights issue in response to a petition by community groups in North Carolina. The U.N.’s involvement broadens the global fight over the dangers of forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, which are the subject of a yearslong dispute over their hazards.
According to a panel of U.N. human rights experts, Chemours and DuPont have been disregarding the rights and well-being of residents along the river, despite having knowledge of the toxic impacts of PFAS on human health and drinking water. Chemours, however, claims to be committed to responsible manufacturing and producing products in line with international principles, emphasizing the importance of its products for green hydrogen, electric vehicles, and semiconductor manufacturing.
DuPont, on the other hand, has rejected claims of responsibility for the Fayetteville plant, which it spun off as part of a corporate restructuring in 2015. PFAS are human-made chemicals used in a wide range of products, including nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, and firefighting foam. Research has linked exposure to PFAS to various health problems, including cancer, liver damage, and birth defects.
The Fayetteville plant has repeatedly exceeded emissions limits, leading to fines from state regulators and violations from the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2021, the agency began requiring chemical manufacturers to test and publicly report the amount of PFAS in household items as part of its PFAS Strategic Roadmap to protect public health and the environment.
Despite these measures, the U.N. panel has criticized both the E.P.A. and local regulators for falling short in addressing the pollution issue. For more information, you can visit the full article here.