WHAT ARE PFAS?
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of man-made chemicals that are used in thousands of consumer and industrial products, from firefighting foam to cosmetics and from cookware to microwaveable popcorn. There are thousands of PFAS including PFOS, PFOA and GenX, which is a compound patented by Chemours.
DuPont, 3M and other chemical companies invented these compounds in the 1950s. They were touted as “miracle” products — until scientists discovered their concerning impacts on our environment and our health.
WHY ARE PFAS A CONCERN?
PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and the body for decades. Researchers have detected PFAS in humans, animals, fish and plants all over the world. PFAS and similar chemicals such as 1-4 dioxane are present in the water, air and soil. These compounds contribute to a myriad of health concerns including thyroid diseases, suppressed immune system responses, hormone disruptions, physical and developmental delays in children and even some forms of cancer. Research on PFAS is still emerging and will continue to emerge for years to come. These studies and outreach efforts are vital to fully understand the impacts of PFAS on our natural world and our health.
In 2017, PFAS became a major environmental and public health issue in the upper Piedmont, Sandhills and southeastern coastal regions of NC when the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant released them into the Cape Fear River. Scientists have discovered PFAS in the groundwater, surface water and potable water sources of the Cape Fear River Basin. Residents throughout the Cape Fear River Basin from Pittsboro to Wilmington have been affected by the presence of fluorinated contaminants in their water.
Chemours is not the only source of PFAS pollution in the Cape Fear River Basin. Wastewater treatment plants along the river and industries such as Lear Corporation and DAK Americas are also dischargers of PFAS and 1-4 dioxane.
HOW ARE SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING PFAS?
Scientists across the country are studying the impacts of forever chemicals on our environment and our health. The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), NC State University and many other agencies have conducted water, blood and dust field studies in the Sandhills and throughout the state.
Sustainable Sandhills has partnered with other non-profit organizations such as Cape Fear River Watch and Haw River Assembly, the NC PFAS Research Network and numerous community advocacy groups, researchers and educational institutions such as East Carolina University on NC State University’s Center for Human Health and the Environment’s GenX Exposure Study. We are working with these partners to conduct field research studies and convey their results, engage with impacted communities and provide accurate information on PFAS pollution mitigation, remediation and prevention projects.
According to current research, PFAS is most concerning when it is consumed, ingested or inhaled. PFAS can be absorbed through the skin, but dermal transmission is a pathway of lesser concern.
Learn more about the NC State University GenX Exposure Study HERE.
HOW IS SUSTAINABLE SANDHILLS INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO REGULATE PFAS?
Sustainable Sandhills is dedicated to partnering with other stakeholders across the state to educate residents about forever chemicals, mitigate the impacts of these contaminants and encourage our local, state and federal governments to hold polluters accountable.
We are the mid-Cape Fear River Basin point of contact for the NC State University GenX Exposure Study. We also serve on the Cape Fear Coalition (facilitated by American Rivers) and NC Conservation Network’s PFAS Task Force.
We conduct field water testing of municipal, well and surface water. We conduct public education campaigns, host community information sessions and communicate with our elected officials regarding PFAS-related legislation. We have testified before the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NC DEQ and numerous municipal governments to implore our leaders to pass stronger rules and regulations that protect our residents from harmful water pollution.
WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO REGULATE PFAS?
At the state level, NC DEQ issued a consent order against Chemours, forcing the company to mitigate the effects of their pollution and prevent future harm to the waters of the Cape Fear River. The consent order required Chemours to construct barriers on the Cape Fear River to prevent the discharge of PFAS into the water; to install a thermal oxidizer to prevent the release of PFAS into the air; and to provide water filtration systems to residents with private wells impacted by pollution. Chemours has consistently violated the consent order.
Read the consent order HERE.
In the state budget of July of 2026, the NC General Assembly allocated millions of dollars to PFAS research and passed the Water Safety Act. The Water Safety Act launches a statewide effort to determine the sources of PFAS discharges into our waterways, but it does not define or enforce any punitive actions for polluters. Another study is not necessary. Action IS.
The state’s Environmental Management Commission has also proposed “monitoring and minimization rules” that essentially allow polluters to regulate their own PFAS discharges. A decision on the rules is forthcoming.
At the federal level, the United States Department of Justice issued a consent order against Chemours in West Virginia, New Jersey and North Carolina. North Carolina, however, will receive no money from the $90 million mitigation fund and will gain no new, meaningful pollution reduction orders.
The United States EPA established Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six common types of PFAS in 2024.
• Four parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS and PFOA •
• Ten ppt for GenX (a chemical patented by Chemours), PFNA and PFHxS •
The rule also regulates GenX chemicals, PFNA, PFHxS and/or PFBS using a Hazard Index calculation to determine if combined levels of these PFAS pose a threat to human health.
Aside from establishing MCLs for PFAS contamination, the EPA has considered establishing Effluent Limitations Guidelines under the Clean Water Act to limit PFAS discharges from industrial sources.
Here are the problems. There are thousands of PFAS and PFAS related chemicals. Only six of these substances are regulated in any way at the Federal level. Most municipal water systems cannot filter these chemicals, so utilities must install new treatment systems that cost billions of dollars to comply with Federal MCLs for PFAS. The current Federal administration is considering a rescission of industrial regulations and MCL standards, too.
Sustainable Sandhills urges you to contact your legislators and tell them to support bills that protect our waterways from dangerous pollutants.
IS THERE PFAS IN MY DRINKING WATER?
If you live in the Cape Fear River Basin and your well or municipal water source is the Cape Fear River or its tributaries, there may be PFAS in your water. Many samples of ground and surface waters in our region have detected at least one type of PFAS in both private wells and public water sources. Through surface water testing, Sustainable Sandhills has also detected PFAS in other river basins and waterways including Little River, Jones Lake and White Lake. Some of those levels unfortunately meet or exceed the federal MCLs for PFAS.
Municipal utility providers distributing water that exceeds the federal MCL threshold must reduce PFAS levels to legally enforceable limits by 2029 – although the EPA may change the deadline to 2031. Some utilities including Fayetteville Public Works Commission have or are in the process of upgrading or replacing water treatment systems to handle emerging contaminants.
If you have municipal water service, you can contact your local utility provider for information about PFAS contamination.
You can also see the results of water sampling for PFAS in THIS MAP by the NC PFAS Research Network or THIS MAP by NC DEQ.
If you have a private well, you may qualify for free testing and evaluation. Chemours has recently expanded testing service in the Sandhills area.
Learn more about Chemours’ Residential Water Sampling Program HERE.
You can also test your water through a certified lab. You may qualify for free testing and the PFAS Treatment Assistance Program through the NC DEQ.
Learn more about NC DEQ programs HERE.
MY WATER CONTAINS PFAS. WHAT CAN I DO TO MITIGATE IT?
Water filtration systems are somewhat effective at removing PFAS from drinking water. Reverse osmosis (RO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters are most effective. Choose a filter with NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 certification. Proper filter maintenance is also crucial for the filter’s efficacy.
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has a directory of certified filters HERE.
The Water Quality Association has a directory of certified filters HERE.
SO IF THERE’S PFAS IN MY WATER, I SHOULD DRINK BOTTLED WATER, RIGHT?
Not necessarily. Most bottled water is sourced from municipal water supplies. There are currently no Federal Food and Drug Administration regulations regarding acceptable levels of PFAS in bottled water. So bottled water may contain PFAS and other chemicals at levels that exceed Federal MCLs.
Bottled water may not be healthier than filtered tap water. And it creates plastic waste, which contributes to the pollution of our land and waterways. If you choose bottled water, choose water that has been filtered through reverse osmosis and always recycle your bottles.
MORE RESOURCES
The NC PFAS RESEARCH NETWORK
UNDERSTANDING PFAS (FROM NC DEQ)
UNITED STATES PFAS CONTAMINATION MAP (FROM ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP)