Suspected contamination source: DuPont Chambers Works Facility (Delaware Riverkeeper Network, 2009)
Perfluorooctanoic acid, known as PFOA, was used for years at the DuPont Chamber Works facility, now owned and operated by Chemours. DuPont conducted testing of nine monitoring wells on and off site in 2009 which showed PFOA results ranging from 12 to 2,200 parts per trillion (ppt).
DuPont agreed to voluntarily conduct sampling and provide treatment to private wells that exceed the EPA Provisional Health Advisory level of 400 ppt*. As neither the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or the U.S. EPA had a promulgated drinking water standard or an interim specific ground water criterion for PFOA, no regulatory authority could require DuPont to provide treatment to wells impacted by PFOA to 40ppt.
The Chambers Works facility has an on-site waste water treatment plant where it treats wastewater generated from Chambers Works and other U.S. DuPont sites. The treated water is discharged into the Delaware River, though most water treatment plants are unsuited to filter out PFASs.
*In 2016, the EPA lowered its Provisional Health Advisory (PHA) level from a standard of 200 ppt for PFOS and 400 ppt for PFOA to a combined lifetime PFOA/PFOS exposure level of 70 ppt. NJ nhas a statewide safe level of 40 ppt PFOA in effect, with a proposed safe level of 14 ppt pending.
Additional Resources
- PFOA pollution in the vicinity of the DuPont Chambers Works Facility, Deepwater, Salem County, New Jersey
Perfluorooctanoic acid - keepyourpromisesdupont.com
Media Coverage:
- DuPont settles suit over claims chemical tainted drinking water around Salem County plant
- Unregulated toxin PFOA prevalent in NJ drinking water
Full citations are available on the second page of the full contamination site tracker. We ask for your additions, changes, questions and comments to be sent to pfasproject@gmail.com.