A North Carolina plastics factory has discharged a likely carcinogen into waterways for years, with environmental groups now suing to stop pollution that has entered the drinking water of 900,000 people.
Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The StarPet facility in Asheboro, N.C., has discharged large volumes of 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen, into the local wastewater system, which cannot remove the chemical and ultimately releases it into waterways that supply drinking water downstream.
- North Carolina regulators have tried for years to set enforceable limits on 1,4-dioxane discharges, but legal challenges from cities and industry-backed rulings have blocked those efforts, allowing pollution levels to rise unchecked.
- A federal lawsuit filed by two environmental nonprofits accuses StarPet and the city of Asheboro of violating environmental laws and enabling a cycle of contamination that has repeatedly exceeded federal health advisory levels in treated drinking water.
Key quote:…