Ch. 1: Inspect & Study DFW (1999-2000)
Beautiful setting on the Cape Fear River in Bladen County;
Fascinating and complex organic chemistry; and
Forthcoming employees at the plant.
Ch. 2: Growing Concern (2001-2003)
Efforts to identify individual chemicals listed only as VOCs;
Questions about new APFO manufacturing operation at DFW site;
Growing concern about PFOA (known as C8) in West Virginia and Ohio;
Growing concern about unregulated pollutants; and
Focus on PFOA (C8) in technical journals.
Ch. 3: Startling Development (2004)
Surprising information from 09/24/2004 inspection - PFOA (C8) detected in groundwater monitoring well;
Concerns about wastewater treatment plant;
Fate of fluorochemicals in wastewater;
Fate of fluorochemicals in the Cape Fear River; and
Shifting the focus to Nafion Vinyl Ethers.
Ch. 4: Communicating about Complex Facilities (2005)
Presentation at EPA Conference held in RTP, NC (April 2005);
Butacite vs. Nafion vs. APFO - where to focus attention;
Unlisted pollutants vs. listed pollutants;
West Virginia and Ohio news reports about PFOA (C8) in water and air;
Fayetteville news reports about PFOA (C8); and
Meeting in Raleigh on September 23, 2005 (between agency and company).
Ch. 5: Silenced - Highly Unusual (after Sept. 23, 2005)
Inspector excluded from all responsibilities and meetings related to DFW; and
No explanation, No discussion or communication.
Fayetteville Observer:
Something in the Water: Are We Next?
Note 1: Inspector left the agency in 2006.
Note 2: It appears that most of the participants in the September 23rd meeting have retired.