Borough's Testing Confirms PFOA in Sayreville Drinking Water
NJ Environmental Federation and the other members of the DuPont Accountability Coalition, a coalition of environmental and labor groups want an investigation into source of "likely" human carcinogen in Sayreville drinking water.
Send a letter to NJDEP Comissioner Lisa Jackson and urge the DEP to do more to protect the drinking water of all state residents and to launch an investigation into the source of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)in Sayrevilee's drinking water.
Send letters to:
Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson
P.O. Box 402
401 East State Street, Floor 7
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
609-292-2885
Press Release:
PARLIN, N.J.—Results from samples of drinking water taken by Sayreville Borough were found to have trace levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) when they were re-examined by the laboratory. When sampling results were first announced by the Borough, PFOA was described as "non-detect."
Residents in Sayreville who mistakenly believe they are drinking PFOA-free water should be made aware of the Borough's new results, according to a coalition of environmental and labor organizations who first discovered PFOA in local drinking water and streams.
"Many residents mistakenly believe they are drinking water that is free of PFOA. They have the right to know what is in the water they are drinking and what the Borough plans to do about it," said Denise Patel of the NJ Work Environment Council.
The Borough's samples of July 19, 2006 were taken in response to earlier sampling by the United Steelworkers of America (USW) and publicized by the coalition. The coalitions motives and the accuracy of their sampling results were questioned by Borough officials and representatives of DuPont. DuPont's plant in Sayreville has admitted to contaminating groundwater with PFOA and releasing it to a stream and the South River.
"Baykeeper has always believed that everyone has the right to use our natural resources, but no one has the right to use them to the detriment of anyone else," Andrew Willner, Director, NY/NJ Baykeeper said. "DuPont has discharged PFOA into the environment to the detriment of the environment, people's health and in violation of this common sense principle," he continued.
The Borough's sample results showing PFOA to be "non-detect" were quietly re-examined after the citizens' coalition pointed out that the laboratory's "reporting limits" were higher than the PFOA levels found by coalition. Anything lower, including trace levels found by the coalition, was reported as "non-detect." The Borough used the same laboratory that DuPont used to investigate its PFOA contamination.
The Borough's revised sampling report of September 11, 2006 identifies PFOA levels in four drinking water samples that range from 2.2 to 5.9 parts per trillion. Samples of drinking water taken by the citizens' coalition from two homes, the library, and a local business identify PFOA levels from 3.1 to 3.7 parts per trillion. The coalition also found PFOA in two streams, which were not tested by the Borough, at 53 and 23 parts per trillion.
"It's inexcusable that our town misled us about the PFOA in our drinking water," said Margaret Rocca, Sayreville resident, "I don't want my children drinking ANY PFOA in their water, nor should any residents of Sayreville have to drink contaminated water. They need to find the source and fix it!"
Even low levels of exposure to PFOA are a matter of concern because it doesn't break down and accumulates in the body, according to the coalition. Residents and plant employees who are exposed to extremely low levels over time can end up with levels in their blood many times higher.
"There is no safe level of PFOA in drinking water," said Jane Nogaki, Pesticide Program Coordinator for the NJ Environmental Federation. "Getting this dangerous chemical out of our drinking water completely starts with identifying where it is, and eliminating the source."
DuPont, the only company in the US that still manufactures PFOA, claims there is no proof of harms to human health. However, PFOA was labeled a "likely" human carcinogen by the EPA's Science Advisory Board in January of 2006 and has been the subject of multi-million dollar lawsuit settlements and EPA enforcement actions.
"PFOA is a dangerous chemical that is being found in drinking water near DuPont facilities in Deepwater, Salem County as well as the Sayreville region. This a state-wide issue that is a growing concern as water quality reports surface proving that residents' drinking water is contaminated," said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
