NC Plan Allows For Dumping Toxic Chemicals

Imagine sipping water from your North Carolina tap, unaware it’s laced with toxic “forever chemicals” from factories upriver. A new state plan greenlights that pollution, dodging limits and penalties, while voices cry out for protection. It’s a murky mix of industry sway and public health—let’s wade into this troubling tale.

North Carolina’s Toxic Pass For Factories

North Carolina’s pushing a PFAS rule that critics slam as toothless—factories can keep dumping toxic chemicals into rivers and drinking water. The plan, advanced Wednesday by the Environmental Management Commission’s committee, demands testing and voluntary cutback promises but sets no hard limits or punishments. Over 600 industrial sites, pumping PFAS waste into city sewers, get a free pass as it flows to your tap. It’s a head-scratcher—why let polluters off when water safety’s at stake?

PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—are man-made nasties tied to cancer and serious health woes. They don’t break down, earning the “forever chemicals” tag, and taint drinking water for 3.5 million North Carolinians. “They’ve contaminated drinking water for an estimated 3.5 million,” the plan notes, hinting at a sprawling mess. For folks downstream, it’s a quiet poison they can’t shake.

Environmentalists aren’t buying it—Dana Sargent of Cape Fear River Watch calls it “dangerous.” “It doesn’t hold polluters accountable—it’s worse than doing nothing,” she says, her voice raw from losing her firefighter brother to PFAS-linked brain cancer. Jean Zhuang from the Southern Environmental Law Center dubs it a “shield for polluters,” pointing to its limp wrist: test twice a year, write a plan, no need to follow through. It’s a gut punch—communities left hanging while factories churn on.

Industry’s Hand

The plan’s got industry fingerprints all over it—commissioners admit much of its wording came from groups like the North Carolina Water Quality Association. Michael Ellison, Water Quality Committee vice chair, shaped it, cozy with industry from his days rewriting stream rules in 2014 with business pals. Last year, an ethics review flagged his ties to WK Dickson, a Water Quality Association member, as a conflict. For critics, it’s a rigged game—polluters writing their own hall pass.

Some commissioners balk—Kevin Tweedy wonders if it lets PFAS flow unchecked for years. Marion Deerhake pushed for tougher rules and more checks, but Chair J.D. Solomon defends it as a start. “This isn’t regulated federally—we’re moving the ball forward,” Solomon says, caught between cries of “too weak” and “overreach.” It’s a tightrope—action that’s barely action, leaving folks uneasy.

Ellison’s Wednesday quip about axing an industry-opposed rule hit hard. “That’s disrespectful to people like me, affected by PFAS, with sick loved ones,” Sargent snaps, appalled at the casual tone. Her outrage echoes—how can they jest when cancer’s on the line? For those hurting, it’s salt in a wound that won’t heal.

A Stalled Fight

This soft rule follows a stall—last year, the commission nixed enforceable PFAS limits after industry pushback. The Department of Environmental Quality pitched firm caps, but groups like the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce leaned in hard, and the commission balked. Instead, they told DEQ to cook up this voluntary “minimization” plan—less bite, more nod. It’s a retreat—tough talk drowned by factory clout.

Even hashing this out hit snags—a February PFAS meeting got canned, with Chair Steve Keen blaming an unready stakeholder pitch. Now, the full commission meets March 13, but PFAS talks wait till May for DEQ’s next draft. “Efforts to discuss the plan have been delayed,” critics note, sensing a dodge. For North Carolinians, it’s a wait that feels like forever—fitting for PFAS.

Wednesday’s vote also waved through a lax 1,4-dioxane rule—another toxic chemical fouling rivers. Last December, Asheboro dumped it at 2,300 times the EPA’s cancer risk level. “The committee voted to advance a similar rule for 1,4-dioxane,” piling more worry on a state already reeling. It’s a double whammy—two poisons, one weak leash.

Water at Risk & Personal Home Solutions

Over 600 sites spew PFAS into sewers, where city plants can’t scrub it out—it just flows to rivers and taps. “Factories send PFAS-laden waste to city sewer plants,” the rule confirms, spotlighting a grim pipeline. For 3.5 million, it’s their daily drink, no filter in sight. It’s a slow drip of danger, right under their noses.

PFAS links to cancer, brain issues, and more haunt those exposed. “They’re linked to cancer and other serious health issues,” the plan admits, echoing Sargent’s loss—her brother’s brain cancer tied to firefighting PFAS gear. It’s not theory—it’s lives cut short. For families, it’s a ticking clock they didn’t set.

You can’t stop the factories, but you can guard your water. Reverse osmosis systems tackle PFAS head-on, filtering water through a tight membrane for clean drinking water. Whole-home conditioners cover all your water—sinks, showers, laundry—cutting toxins like PFAS and 1,4-dioxane. Both step in where North Carolina’s weak rule fails, securing water safety.

Source: WRAL News