Read the full article by Bella Pires (The Daily Tar Heel)
“North Carolina’s newly signed state budget includes several new expenditures to support per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research as North Carolina continues to rank as one of the worst states for PFAS contamination nationwide.
PFAS, widely known as ‘forever chemicals’, are a group of man-made chemicals that are extremely resistant to deterioration in the environment and human body. Primarily found in nonstick, stain and water-resistant consumer products, exposure to high levels of PFAS has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease and high blood pressure.
The budget awards $45 million to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality for the Emerging Contaminant Fund — a resource to help fund construction projects addressing PFAS in water and wastewater systems — and an additional $3 million for associated operating costs.
On top of that, $22 million was allocated to the NC Collaboratory, a research agency at UNC that provides scientific research to inform policymaking in the state. Part of that number includes $7 million for scientific study on PFAS and water sample analysis and $15 million for research, development and remedial activities related to PFAS at fire stations.”…