VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — When you turn on the tap to get a glass of water, you see the water, but you don’t see what are known as 'forever chemicals' that could be in the water.
The United Nations is now trying to work with the U.S. government to address concerns about the chemicals in the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.
During a Zoom news conference on Monday, a representative from the United Nations talked about what's known as an allegation letter that has been sent to the U.S. government.
“It often happens that when a government receives a letter, it takes its time, usually 60 days, to prepare a reply," said U.N. Special Rapporteur on Toxics & Human Rights Marcos Orellana.
The letter is an effort to get the government to work with the U.N. to address water in the Cape Fear River.
The issue is wastewater contaminated with forever chemicals being dumped into the river by a chemical plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“The concerns in regard to Cape Fear and Fayetteville Works are extremely concerning," Orellana said.
Failure to respond could have big implications for the United States.
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“What happens is the U.S. begins to diminish its standing as a human rights champion in the world," said Orellana.
The letter was the result of a group called Clean Cape Fear reaching out to the U.N. to express concerns.
The group's co-founder, Emily Donovan, spoke at the news conference.
“The amount of sicknesses and illnesses happening in our region is incredibly depressing and hurtful," Donovan said.
Forever chemicals have been linked to a variety of health issues and aren’t just in water.
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News 3 has reported extensively on the chemicals, including interviewing firefighters about the impact the chemicals in firefighting foam.
“We were being silently poisoned, to put it bluntly, by the very products that were designed to either protect us or help us," Firefighter Kevin Ferrara told News 3 in 2023.
Some Virginia Beach firefighters have filed a $1.5 billion lawsuit over exposure to the chemicals.
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Johnson Controls, which is listed in the lawsuit sent News 3 a statement.
“In general it is our practice not to comment on ongoing litigation," Johnson Controls External Communications Vice President Trent Perrotto said.
The Biden Administration announced April 10 a new national standard to reduce forever chemicals in drinking water.
The EPA is making nearly $1 billion in funding available to help states and territories do testing to make sure their water is meeting the new standard.
"Obviously, we're really supportive of the new drinking water standards," Donovan said. “We decided to engage the United Nations because Chemours recently disclosed that they wanted to expand production and make more PFAS. They also want to receive international waste from their facility in the Netherlands."
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Allegation letters have also been sent to chemical companies connected to the plant in question in Fayetteville and the government of the Netherlands.
"The Netherlands has exported hazardous waste to the United States," Orellana explained. "The companies involved claimed that it has been for recovery or recycling. Most of it has been disposal, so there is a breach of international law in this situation."
He said the Netherlands and the companies involved have responded to their respective letters.
As for the letter sent to the U.S. government, as of Monday the U.N. was still waiting on a response.
