What we don’t know about GenX could harm us

Our Wilmington, NC based law firm is helping victims of serious illnesses with their GenX lawsuit| Our GenX lawyer discusses is GenX safe? And what you can do if you have been affected by the contaminated drinking water

Concentrations of GenX in Wilmington, NC treated water began to decrease after Dupont Chemours said it stopped some of its discharges into the Cape Fear River basin.

For how long this trade chemical’s high concentrations have been on Wilmington’s water? What are the long-term effects on the health and safety for the population? This remain unanswered questions.

Few data emerging after the diminishing industrial discharge, due to public pressure after a scandalous revelation of GenX in drinking water, indicates a downward trend of the contaminant in the water. This can be concluded from comparison with recorded concentrations of GenX in the 2013 study.

Is GenX safe? The residents of Wilmington who were suddenly diagnosed with serious illnesses are starting to think differently. Learn more about GenX lawsuits.

Is GenX Safe?

While that might seem promising for now, it’s only the beginning of evidence pointing toward the culprits. Yet, it doesn’t start to clarify the many health concerns the community has after discovering that everyone has been drinking water laden with GenX and other chemicals, very possibly from discharges of the Chemours plant, upstream in Fayetteville.

The public’s health and the people’s right to know are intrinsically related. Most importantly, children’s present and future development are at stake.

There’s a consensus among the Wilmington community, local and state officials and science expert opinions, that more research is need, yet that could take years. What is painfully lacking is illuminating data on GenX safety from the source, the maker of GenX, Dupont.

Samples from CFPUA Sweeney treatment plant, taken on June 22, 2017, had 1100 ppt of GenX in the sample with the highest result, taken from a lab under contract with Chemours. That was eight times the new health goal of 140 ppt (ng/L) set in mid-July by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, after consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Six other chemical compounds structurally like GenX, the perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids or PFECAs, were not included in the first results for water quality samples released to the public since news reports exposed the problem in June.

CFPUA’s study also revealed several PFECAs (perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids) in peak areas 2 to 113 times greater than GenX.

Drinking water systems are constantly measured using safety standards established by the EPA and the North Carolina Division of Environmental Health and Natural Resources (NCDEHNR) for known contaminants and substances, but GenX is not listed among them.

GenX isn’t treated to be remove in the water treatment process because it’s not classified as a contaminant that should be controlled in drinking water.

Wilmington’s water is treated to remove impurities, such as bacteria, fertilizers and solvents, among others. It has consistently met or exceeded said safeguards, as outlined in the Annual Water Quality Report distributed to all customers by June 1 of each year.

Dupont Chemours plant must report rates and concentrations of its river discharges, so new research could begin from that and water treatment data taken downstream and in the water supply systems over the same period of years. But GenX isn’t a typical impurity to be treated for drinking water.

What will it take to get GenX and its chemical cousins out of the tap water? The question is now more of what will it take to know the real health dangers facing the residents downstream from the Fayetteville site all the way to the lower southeast of North Carolina.

Cape Fear River data gathered in 2013-2014 had GenX in raw and filtered water, yet it sat in reports without any expected regulatory or enforcement required, although some scientists kept pointing to its continued high concentrations. It should have moved to action sooner.

Toxicologists say to know GenX better we should look at its chemical cousins, all from the same manufacturing process, the same company, and linked to various cancers.

Greg Jones Law is a national personal injury law firm which has had great success in cases involving big industrial companies and is now investigating claims related to Dupont Chemours contaminating the water.

If you or someone you know has cancer, kidney, liver or thyroid diseases, or reproductive or immune problems that could be related to being exposed or ingesting GenX, you can call now for a free no-hassle consultation. Call 855-JONES-LAW (855-566-3752) or use our website to contact us for a free case review. We’re here to help!