Chemical plant leaking toxic PFAS in West Virginia

The West Virginia Rivers Coalition has brought a case against the Chemours chemical plant in West Virginia, alleging that the facility has been polluting the waters of the Ohio River in the city of Parkersburg with toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’. According to The Guardian, the federal complaint claims that the waste produced by the factory contains PFAS at levels far above those permitted by a 2023 discharge permit. Local sources assert that pollutants have been released into the river’s water for almost 25 years through contaminants such as PFAS, PFOA, and GenX, all of which are highly toxic chemicals. The chemical plant was alleged not to have taken measures to contain environmental pollution, as ordered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Chemours has declared its engagement in collaborative efforts with the regulatory authorities to facilitate the renewal of its operating permit. A class action lawsuit was initiated in 2004, yielding a compensation of approximately $70 million for local residents. However, the lawsuit failed to demonstrate a causal relationship between PFAS pollution and widespread health problems in the region, including cancer, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. A study conducted in 2012 on approximately 70,000 people suggested that PFOA was likely to be the cause of health problems. Subsequent studies have further confirmed a link between the chemical and other serious health problems affecting local residents.