The Department of Environmental Quality is actively investigating a spill at the Fayetteville Works facility. At this time, it appears an unknown quantity of plasticizer, a non-PFAS compound, was discharged into the Cape Fear River from Kuraray Americas, which shares the site with Chemours. All downstream drinking water facilities were notified Tuesday afternoon.
The spill was reported after DEQ staff discovered a sheen at Outfall 002 Tuesday, while conducting bi-weekly sampling. Chemours partially shut down the sluice gate to Outfall 002 to slow the flow and deployed absorbent booms. Kuraray shut down operations Tuesday night to stop discharges while the source is being investigated.
Outfall 002 contains the discharge from the onsite wastewater treatment plant shared by the Kuraray, Chemours and Dupont facilities. Chemours is the permit holder. Under the Consent Order established by DEQ, Chemours is not permitted to discharge any process water into the Cape Fear River.
DEQ staff is onsite conducting further sampling and investigating the extent of the spill and will direct the facilities to take further corrective actions as warranted.