Residents fight back as chemical manufacturer looks to make major expansion: 'We think it's a terrible idea'

Chemical manufacturer Chemours is looking to make a big expansion in North Carolina, and, according to E&E News, many residents are unhappy about it. 

What's happening?

Chemours has tabled plans to double the production of a facility in Fayetteville. The factory makes a wide variety of products, including Teflon. 

While better known for its application on non-stick pans, Teflon is also a vital cooling component to semiconductors. The increasing demand for artificial intelligence services in recent years has subsequently increased the demand for semiconductors and large-scale computing infrastructure, E&E News reported. Keeping these systems thermally efficient is important to lower energy usage in data centers, which already require significant ventilation. 

Why is chemical production important?

The production of chemicals by Chemours requires the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. These persistent "forever chemicals" have found their way into local waterways and into the water supplies of residents, with some studies showing PFAS to also be emitted via air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, links have been found between exposure to PFAS and incidents of cancer, decreases in fertility, asthma, and thyroid disease. 

The daughter of one Fayetteville resident lived 80 miles southeast of the Chemours plant. She now has severe neurological issues that prevent her from living a normal life. According to E&E News, many groups in Fayetteville have campaigned against the planned Chemours expansion.  

"We think it's a terrible idea, despite Chemours' claims that it needs to expand operations for additional demand for semiconductors and other technology applications," said Kelly Moser, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, per E&E News.

What's being done about PFAS?

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is still reviewing Chemours' application and has requested more specific details on its PFAS use.

Chemours has faced opposition on many fronts regarding its use of PFAS, even spawning a movie about its problem in West Virginia. Alongside its old parent company, DuPont, Chemours has contributed to a PFAS lawsuit settlement of over $1 billion. 

Continuing production of energy-saving materials while avoiding all contamination remains a distant goal. 

"It's certainly possible to be much cleaner, but it's nothing you can control 100 percent," said Rainer Lohmann, an oceanography professor at the University of Rhode Island, per E&E News. "You can understand why a community that's been exposed for decades is reluctant to see them ramp up production."

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