Area leaders release statements on misleading advertisements by Chemours

CAPE FEAR REGION, N.C. (WECT) - Area leaders released statements in response to Chemours posting questionable advertisements on billboards and television commercials.

New Hanover County Commission Chair Julia Olson-Boseman released a statement about the “misleading advertising blitz” by Chemours where the company claims it is being a good neighbor.

Her statement reads in part:

Good neighbors take care of each other. We respect each other’s property and strive to help one another.

We certainly wouldn’t knowingly dump poisonous chemicals in our neighbors’ drinking water for decades, reap huge profits and refuse requests to pay to clean up our mess, then go around the neighborhood bragging about how awesome a neighbor we are.

Also in the statement, Boseman refers to Chemours as “the corporate equivalent of the neighbor who plays loud music, blocks your driveway and dumps their garbage on your lawn.” See end of article for full statement.

Brunswick County Chairman Randy Thompson released a statement about the “barrage of advertisements” from Chemours touting its efforts to reduce pollutants because it is a “good neighbor.” Thompson says, “Chemours is not a friend to the residents of Brunswick County.”

His statement reads in part:

If Chemours cared so much about being a good neighbor to North Carolinians, they would not have spent decades knowingly putting contaminants into our environment that next to no one knew existed nor how to test for.

If Chemours cared, they would have put safeguards in place decades ago to protect people and the environment from their plant’s contaminants before they came under scrutiny through media-driven exposés and state-mandated consent orders.

And if Chemours really cared, they would voluntarily pay for the expensive water treatment upgrades that utilities like Brunswick County need to remove their contaminants from our drinking water. That is what a good neighbor would do. See end of article for full statement.

Brunswick County NAACP said in a letter to Chemours, “We believe that protecting our drinking water resources from pollution is a basic human right and vital necessity for a healthy and productive society.” The letter continues by saying that the chemicals dumped in the Cape Fear River “now jeopardizes that human right.”

If Chemours wants to advertise itself as being a “caring good neighbor”, please genuinely help us. Reach deep into your “free cash” pocket and pay for the damages that your corporation has done to our precious drinking water and watershed. Help us to preserve, protect and celebrate our precious watersheds, wetlands, and irreplaceable ecosystems. Act in a sustainably responsible way to help us reverse the ever-growing tide of pollution that contaminates our drinking water, impacts our health, and destroys our environment. See end of article for full statement.

After WECT reached out, Chemours responded with this statement:

“We’ve received feedback from multiple sources, including our Community Advisory Board, that many residents, while familiar with Chemours, are not aware of the emissions reductions we have completed and the additional remediation work we are undertaking. Because of that we prepared a series of commercials to inform the public about our work. The first ad began running in November and provided a general overview of the emissions reductions we have achieved and actions we are taking. The new ad, which will run for the next few months is about the barrier wall along the Cape Fear River we are preparing to construct. Subsequent ads will be produced as needed as we continue our work. Chemours is only one of many sources that impact the Cape Fear River system - we want the public to know we are doing our part and we hope others will do theirs.”

Also Thursday, a coalition of North Carolina groups have reactivated a lawsuit against the EPA for the agency’s failure to require Chemours to conduct studies on polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.

Earlier this week, members of the public pushed back against Chemours, the company blamed for releasing toxic chemicals into the Cape Fear River that have tainted the drinking water for residents and visitors in the areas downstream.

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