Toxic dust? PFAS found in homes near NC plant

Toxic "forever chemicals" are lurking in household dust near Chemours' Fayetteville Works Plant, a new study finds, raising fresh concerns about exposure risks for residents.

A North Carolina State University study analyzed dust samples from 65 homes within six miles of the plant in Cumberland and Bladen counties. Researchers found significantly higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in homes closer to the facility, suggesting air emissions may be contributing to indoor contamination.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and consumer products for their water- and grease-resistant properties. They persist in the environment and build up in the body, with links to cancer, liver damage and immune system dysfunction.

"PFAS exposure via contaminated well water is relatively well studied, but given the air emissions from the plant, we wanted to learn whether household dust was also a source of exposure," said Nadine Kotlarz, an assistant professor at NC State and the study’s corresponding author.

The researchers detected at least one PFAS compound in every dust sample. GenX, a PFAS compound associated with the Chemours plant, appeared in 89% of homes. Six other plant-related PFAS were found in more than 75% of homes, with concentrations decreasing as distance from the plant increased.

More than 90% of homes also contained high levels of other PFAS compounds not necessarily linked to the fluorochemical facility. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), an ultrashort-chain PFAS commonly associated with refrigerant breakdown, appeared in 89% of samples.

The dust samples were collected in early 2019—before the state required Chemours to install technology to cut PFAS emissions. Although thermal oxidizers have been used for PFAS destruction since at least the 1970s, Chemours only added the technology after a consent order mandated them to do so. The company completed installation of a thermal oxidizer in December 2019, which it claims destroys over 99.99% of PFAS air emissions directed to it.

"We measured PFAS in every house that we looked at," said Jane Hoppin, an environmental epidemiologist at NC State and principal investigator of the GenX Exposure Study. "For chemicals that are unique to the Fayetteville Works facility, people who live closer to the plant—especially those downwind—had higher levels in their dust."

Hoppin said dust exposure is particularly concerning for young children, who are more likely to ingest it through hand-to-mouth behavior. "Little kids crawl on the floor, they put their hands in their mouth. That’s normal behavior. That’s why little kids get lead poisoning—from lead in dust," she said.

Chemours has long faced legal challenges over PFAS pollution in water, air, and soil. A company spokesperson emphasized that the study's dust samples predate emission controls at the Fayetteville Works site: "These five-year or older dust samples pre-date the comprehensive actions taken at Fayetteville Works to address fluorinated organic chemical (FOC) process emissions. Since that time, we’ve implemented state-of-the-art emission control technologies."

For some residents, the study confirms longstanding concerns. "This doesn't surprise me," said Fayetteville resident Vickie Mullins, who has been exposed to PFAS through contamination in her drinking water from Chemours. "The only way to stop this is to shut the plant down."

PFAS contamination has been a persistent issue in North Carolina, particularly in communities near the Chemours Fayetteville Works facility. State regulators recently ordered Chemours to expand well testing for PFAS to 150,000 additional homes across six counties, including Cumberland and Bladen, after mounting evidence of widespread contamination of private wells.

A previous NC State study also found elevated PFAS levels in the blood of pet dogs and horses in the Gray’s Creek community near Fayetteville, including animals that only drank bottled water. Researchers determined that well-water animals had PFAS signatures matching those manufactured at the Fayetteville Works facility, highlighting concerns about exposure beyond human populations.

Studies show PFAS contamination is widespread, with traces detected in rainwater, food supplies, and nearly every American's bloodstream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest study underscores the need for further research on PFAS in household dust and its potential health effects.

Hoppin said follow-up testing is necessary to determine if air emission reductions have led to lower PFAS levels in homes. "Now that the thermal oxidizer is in place, it would be interesting to see whether we continue to see this trend," she said. "We would like to pursue funding to measure more houses and take repeated samples to better understand how dust contamination changes over time."

WRAL investigated PFAS contamination in a documentary, "Forever Chemicals: North Carolina's Toxic Tap Water."

The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, received funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NC State’s Center for Human Health and the Environment, and the NC Policy Collaboratory.