Former Wilmington mayor: “We’re here to express our outrage” over GenX contamination in drinking water, Cape Fear.
That study, published in 2016, showed GenX had been detected in drinking water, with its upstream source being Chemours.
Chemours has not sampled its discharge and instead used modeling to estimate levels of GenX.
He emphasized that Knappe’s study indicated GenX is only one of several PFOAs in the Cape Fear.
PFOAs are endocrine disruptors, which affect hormone levels and can play general havoc in the body.
But earlier this week, just a day after DEQ began sampling water from the Cape Fear — and after the EPA launched an investigation — the company announced it would stop discharging GenX into the river.
The EPA, Brander said, “doesn’t have a lot of strength right now to do the research.” Attorney John Green said funding shortages at both the EPA and DEQ prevent those agencies from being legally tough on DuPont and Chemours.
“Because of budget cuts, we don’t have great faith in the regulatory community to joust with DuPont,” Green said.
GenX, also known as C6, is similar to the chemical C8.
Also manufactured by DuPont, C8 was phased out after several class-action lawsuits showed a link between it and cancer and other health problems.