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…