Bladen County

shows a bridge over the Cape Fear River, photo taken at the level of the water. GenX has been contaminating the river for years, it's been revealed.

North Carolina attorney general sues Chemours, DuPont over PFAS contamination

October 14, 2020 by Greg Barnes Leave a Comment

North Carolina attorney general sues Chemours, DuPont over PFAS contamination - North Carolina Health News

Josh Stein says the chemical companies put profits over people and need “to pay for the mess they created.”

By Greg Barnes North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein filed a lawsuit Tuesday saying the Chemours and DuPont chemical companies need to be held accountable for contaminating the state’s natural resources with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. “DuPont and Chemours dumped PFAS into our state’s drinking waters when they knew that these forever […]

When the water at the Sanford water plant in September, it had high rates of PFAS

State lawmaker says fighting PFAS in NC will require more than enforceable standards

September 10, 2020 by Greg Barnes

State lawmaker says fighting PFAS in NC will require more than enforceable standards - North Carolina Health News

Rep. Pricey Harrison would welcome new maximum contaminant levels for certain types of PFAS, but she worries that industries would just switch to another PFAS compound, resulting in a game of whack-a-mole. Part 2 of 2

By Greg Barnes Months after DuPont bought the rights to produce Perfluorooctanoic acid (known as PFOA or C8) from Minnesota’s 3M Corp. in 2002, DuPont discovered that the suspected carcinogen used to make Teflon had leaked into the groundwater under the company’s Fayetteville Works plant. Except for some local newspaper articles and rumblings from environmental […]

Dr. Jamie DeWitt, right, and Samuel Vance, a biomedical science master’s program student, conduct research into the health effects of PFAS in DeWitt’s lab at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine. Photo credit: East Carolina University.

NC getting tougher on PFAS polluters, but researchers say more action is needed

September 9, 2020 by Greg Barnes

NC getting tougher on PFAS polluters, but researchers say more action is needed - North Carolina Health News

The researchers and state Rep. Pricey Harrison say North Carolina should follow other states and develop maximum contaminant levels for PFAS, but that doesn’t appear likely to happen soon. Part 1 of 2

Greg Barnes North Carolina is getting tougher on industries that pollute the state’s air and waterways with potentially carcinogenic per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” On Aug. 10, state Attorney General Josh Stein announced that he is starting an investigation into manufacturers and others that have fouled the state’s lakes, […]

shows men bent over green plants, pulling peppers into baskets

Coronavirus Today – July 23 – Follow the three Ws, say Mexican and Guatemalan consulate leaders; Plug for Medicaid expansion; ‘Not yet turned a corner’

July 23, 2020 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus Today – July 23 – Follow the three Ws, say Mexican and Guatemalan consulate leaders; Plug for Medicaid expansion; ‘Not yet turned a corner’ - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina is on steadier ground than many Southern states in its fight against COVID-19, but cases continue to rise especially in Latino communities.

By Anne Blythe North Carolina’s governor, top public health officials and high-ranking leaders from the Mexican and Guatemalan consulates sent an urgent message to Latinx and Hispanic residents on Thursday. COVID-19 is spreading swiftly and disproportionately among their communities, and the best way to fight the virus and keep their communities strong and healthy is […]

Shows two women in a lab, manipulating tools in order to test water samples, which are arranged on the tabletop

Research suggests link between PFAS contamination and the coronavirus

July 13, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Research suggests link between PFAS contamination and the coronavirus - North Carolina Health News

Studies say people with high levels of PFAS in their systems could be more susceptible to contracting COVID-19.

By Greg Barnes John Wolfe doesn’t know what else he can do to protect himself against the coronavirus. The Wilmington boat captain follows all of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. He wears a mask and requires tourists on his boat to do the same. He practices social distancing and washes his hands […]

Study co-authors Tiffany Penland (left) and Casey Grieshaber gather fish from the Pee Dee River to test tissue for the presence and abundance of PFAS. Photo credit: N.C. State

N.C. State study finds PFAS throughout Yadkin-Pee Dee River food chain

June 26, 2020 by Greg Barnes

N.C. State study finds PFAS throughout Yadkin-Pee Dee River food chain - North Carolina Health News

Researchers say the PFAS could threaten the ecosystem, human health and an imperiled fish called the robust redhorse.

By Greg Barnes While sampling the Yadkin-Pee Dee River’s food chain for perfluorinated compounds known as PFAS, N.C. State University researchers managed to capture a robust redhorse that was about to spawn. Capturing the fish, a member of the sucker family, was no easy task. According to N.C. Wildlife Commission, an estimated 62 reproductive adult […]

shows a man at a podium holding up a face mask used as a COVID preventive as he speaks from behind a podium.

Coronavirus Today – May 8 – COVID faces, not statistics; drive for increased testing; Mother’s Day

May 8, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – May 8 – COVID faces, not statistics; drive for increased testing; Mother’s Day - North Carolina Health News

As social distancing restrictions ease, Gov. Roy Cooper urges North Carolinians to remember families and communities mourning lost loved ones.

By North Carolina Health News staff More than a pandemic number Gov. Roy Cooper reminded North Carolinians that there are faces, families, loved ones and mourning communities that tell the stories of this pandemic. As the state eases social distancing restrictions to allow for more retail activity and state park visits, Cooper portrayed some of […]

shows trend lines for COVID-like illnesses in the emergency departments higher than in prior years, but decreasing overall

Coronavirus Today – May 5 – Cooper eases restrictions as of Friday, reporting on nursing home, meat processor outbreaks

May 5, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – May 5 – Cooper eases restrictions as of Friday, reporting on nursing home, meat processor outbreaks - North Carolina Health News

Gov. Roy Cooper signs an order to slightly ease social distancing restrictions beginning Friday, as he asks people to "wear, wait and wash."

By North Carolina Health News staff Wear, wait and wash in next phase North Carolinians could have a few more places to leave home for after 5 p.m. Friday, when a modified statewide stay-at-home order signed by Gov. Roy Cooper takes effect. Cooper announced plans to move the state into the first phase of easing […]

The Smithfield Food's hog-processing plant in Tar Heel appeared to be operating as usual on Tuesday, April 28, 2019. Photo credit Greg Barnes

Smithfield’s largest slaughterhouse struggling to contain virus

May 1, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Smithfield’s largest slaughterhouse struggling to contain virus - North Carolina Health News

No one will say how many workers at Smithfield’s Tar Heel plant have the coronavirus, but the plant has reduced employees’ hours in what they say is an effort to better protect them.

By Greg Barnes Early Monday, Lumberton lawyer Dale Godfrey said he got word from workers at Smithfield Foods’ Tar Heel plant that the world’s largest hog slaughterhouse might have to close because of an outbreak of the coronavirus. Godfrey said those reports were bolstered by a plant worker who sent him a picture of a […]

The Smithfield Foods processing plant in Tar Heel employs up to 5,000 workers and slaughters 30,000 to 35,000 hogs a day: Photo credit: Melissa Sue Garrets, The Fayetteville Observer

Two more processing plants identified as having coronavirus outbreaks

April 24, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Two more processing plants identified as having coronavirus outbreaks - North Carolina Health News

The state says 190 workers at seven meat and poultry processing plants have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s up from 118 on Tuesday.

By Greg Barnes Two more meat processing plants in North Carolina are experiencing coronavirus outbreaks, bringing the total number of meat and poultry plants with COVID outbreaks to seven, state health officials announced Thursday. The state Department of Health and Human Services still won’t name the plants or say how many workers have tested positive […]

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