Chemours breaks ground on emissions facility

FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WWAY) — Chemours is taking steps to control emissions. The company broke ground Tuesday on the new emissions control facility at its Fayetteville Works site.

“When this phase of the project is completed, and the last component, our thermolysis unit is installed, we will have reduced air and water emissions by greater than 99 percent,” said plant manager Brian Long.

Long says this facility will be completed by the end of 2019, and eliminates GenX and similar compounds.

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The state ordered Chemours to stop discharging GenX into the Cape Fear River last fall, and soon, a new scrubber system will go online.

Long says the scrubber works like an incinerator, and will reduce GenX air emissions.

“When we start our facility up during the first week of November, we will have made an 80 percent reduction in air emissions of GenX and similar compounds,” said Long.

Bladen County Commission Chair Ray Britt says he believes Chemours is taking the right steps.

“Chemours has committed to the commissioners, if there’s findings that there is a problem, that they will take care of it themselves financially, and that’s better than us,” said Britt.

Long says there will be a plan in place to make sure that is not necessary.

“There will be some type of structure and a regulatory process as we continue to go forward in the future, and there will be checks and balances,” said Long.

Britt says if there is a problem, Bladen County Commissioners will follow up on their promise to provide residents with safe water.

“We made a firm commitment in our county, then if that doesn’t take place, then our commissioners will step forth, and our promise to people of Bladen County that we will see that you have good water,” said Britt.