Robeson County Stops Landfill Growth After Finding State’s Worst PFAS Levels

Robeson County officials hit pause on expanding the St. Paul's landfill this week. Tests showed toxic PFAS chemicals at the site topped every other dump in North Carolina.

At Monday's meeting, Southern Environmental Law Center's Maia Hutt laid out stark facts. The site broke state limits on five PFAS types. These chemicals don't break down, building up in the soil while causing harm at microscopic levels.

"The amount of PFAS present in the groundwater under this particular landfill absolutely warps what we see at other facilities," said Hutt to the room full of worried residents, per The Robesonian.

Twenty-one private wells sit within 1,500 feet of the site. Four public water wells that feed the Rocco Water Treatment Plant lie within 4,000 feet.

Public utilities chief Myron Neville said testing started in March to meet EPA standards. "Right now, we're not in violation of anything," Neville said. "North Carolina Public Water Supply has given us until 2027 to make plans and 2029 to put them in place."

During public comments, local Julia Ann Odom spoke up: "Everybody gets worked up about cancer — no, it's neurotoxins that are dangerous," Odom said. "We don't have from now until 2027 or 2029 to take care of this issue."

Commissioner Lance Herndon, who watches over the landfill area, wants more data first. "We all know that we've got to take care of our trash, but before we get into expansion, what if the expansion takes place and we need to add on a system that takes care of some of these contaminants that come in?"

The board will wait for more PFAS test results before voting on growth plans. They meet next on October 6 at 9 a.m.