Gen X Detected in Farmer’s Honey

The GenX spill in the Cape Fear River has received scant media attention, but media outlets are now starting to report on it as more bad news emerges. Just today, WRAL.com reports “Honey collected by a Bladen County farmer has tested for levels of GenX nearly 15 times higher than the health goal set by state officials.”

GenX is a by-product of Teflon production from the chemical company Chemours, an offshoot of DuPont, that is currently not regulated for discharge into water. Chemours had reportedly been releasing GenX and other related substances into the Cape Fear River since 1980. Dangerous levels of the chemical were found in the river earlier this year, and a legislative investigation found the Cooper administration to be quite evasive about their handling of the matter.

While most of the capitol press corps has largely ignored the issue, NC Capitol Connection has been following the story closely since August. You can see a roundup of stories on the issue here.