Current Situation The most recent results released by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) show that GenX is still present in the drinking water at 24 parts per trillion (ppt), which is well below the state's health goal of 140 ppt. While levels of GenX in the drinking water are declining, the concentrations already present in the … [Read more...]
FDA Provides Updated Number of Breast Implants Lymphoma Cancers
About BIA-ALCL The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been aware of the possible connection between breast implants and breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) since 2011. This condition is a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is a cancer of the immune system, rather than a cancer of the breast … [Read more...]
Is the NC Senate’s GenX Bill Sufficient to Address GenX Contamination?
Today, February 13, 2018, the NC House of Representatives will potentially vote on House Bill 189, which concerns how to address the GenX contamination issue. This bill is referred to as the "Water Safety Act" and has undergone several revisions during its time in the Senate. However, some believe that the amendments are still not enough to get … [Read more...]
Judge Consolidates Five Existing GenX Contamination Lawsuits
In October of last year, five separate Complaints were filed against chemical companies DuPont and Chemours in response to the GenX contamination of the Cape Fear River. Here is a list of the Complaints that have been filed against DuPont and Chemours thus far: Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) Brunswick County Brent Nix … [Read more...]
New Data Released on Risk of Lymphoma Due to Breast Implants
Recent Study on BIA-ALCL RisksSince my last article on this topic, "What is the Risk of Death Due to Breast Implant-Associated Lymphoma?," additional information on the risk of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) has been released. The most recent study, titled "Breast Implants and the Risk of Anaplastic Large-Cell … [Read more...]
NC Science Advisory Board Discusses Key GenX Contamination Issues
Earlier this month, members of a state science panel met at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to review and discuss key issues concerning the GenX contamination issue in North Carolina. This GenX contamination meeting discussed topics such as the extent of the contamination, determining the public health goal, dealing with a lack of … [Read more...]
Benzene Recently Confirmed to Cause Cancers in Humans
Background Benzene Information Benzene is a chemical that has been known to cause cancer in humans since 1979. While most people are exposed to benzene in small amounts through air pollution, gasoline, and other environmental routes, those who work around benzene-containing products or the chemical itself are especially at risk of developing … [Read more...]
Chemours Lacks a Concrete Plan to Address GenX Contamination Issue
Increased GenX Levels According to state environmental regulators, levels of GenX in the Cape Fear River have spiked yet again, and they're not sure why. In October, there was a spill that Chemours failed to report, which resulted in increased GenX levels in the river. Researchers found concentrations of GenX that were shockingly high: almost … [Read more...]
New Hanover County Residents Tested for GenX Exposure in New Study
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences recently awarded a grant to researchers from N.C. State University to study the extent of GenX exposure in New Hanover County residents. While Chemours has ceased discharge of GenX into the Cape Fear River, researchers are still finding measurable amounts of GenX in the drinking … [Read more...]
Chemours Ordered to Capture Additional GenX Wastewater by DEQ
Chemours Can Keep Their Permit... On October 21, 2017, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced that it would not be suspending Chemours' wastewater discharge permit at this time. This permit allows Chemours to dump millions of gallons of water tainted with chemicals into the Cape Fear River. The DEQ based their … [Read more...]