DEQ: Chemours halts process that leads to GenX
Water testing results taken after Chemours stopped the process resulting in the discharge of GenX show decreased amounts of the unregulated chemical in the Cape Fear River.
WILMINGTON — Water testing results taken after Chemours stopped the process resulting in the discharge of GenX show decreased amounts of the unregulated chemical in the Cape Fear River.
According to a N.C. Department of Environmental Quality spokesman, Chemours on July 28 ceased the vinyl ether process that was resulting in GenX as a byproduct. A company spokesman declined to answer questions about the timetable or when the production process, which makes the vinyl ether in batches, would restart.
Initial tests of the outfall in June showed results as high as 39,000 ppt at the outfall immediately before Chemours began capturing and incinerating wastewater from the stage of the vinyl ether process that results in GenX. That number fell to 3,300 ppt on July 12, the day DEQ inspectors checked the plant to ensure the company had stopped previously undiscovered discharges of the chemical.
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