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...]
Breast Implant-Associated Lymphoma Diagnoses on the Rise
On October 18, 2017, the JAMA Surgery journal published an article titled "Breast Implant–Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma A Systematic Review," in which they discuss the rate of occurrence of the condition. The article served as a review of 115 articles on the topic of breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) … [Read more...]
DuPont and Chemours Sued by CFPUA for Environmental Law Violations
On October 16, 2017, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) filed a Complaint in federal district court against DuPont and its spinoff company, Chemours, alleging that the companies violated several federal environmental laws by dumping C8 and GenX in the Cape Fear River. CFPUA claims DuPont and Chemours violated the following laws: … [Read more...]
What is the Risk of Death Due to Breast Implant-Associated Lymphoma?
On August 23, 2017, the Aesthetic Surgery Journal distributed a press release concerning a recent study on the risk of death from Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). To provide some background information, BIA-ALCL is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma of T-cell origin that is typically found in the effusion fluid … [Read more...]
GenX: Chemours Claims Unfair Treatment by DEQ
Chemours is criticizing the following actions of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on the grounds that they are "arbitrary," "capricious," and "unilateral": The DEQ's claims that Chemours has misled officials for years about what was being discharged into the Cape Fear river; The requirement that they immediately halt … [Read more...]
High Levels of GenX Found in Groundwater at Fayetteville Works Plant
Due to the extremely high levels of GenX and other toxic chemicals found in the groundwater at the Fayetteville Works Plant, Chemours was issued a notice of violation by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on September 6, 2017. In August 2017, 14 wells on the site were tested and … [Read more...]