Groups sue Alpek-Eastman plant for polluting Congaree River with microplastics and other toxic chemicals

Pollution from the chemical plant litters miles along Congaree National Park, the suit alleges

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, Congaree Riverkeeper, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, filed a citizen suit in federal court against two petrochemical companies that operate a major plastic plant on the Congaree River near Columbia. The two companies, Alpek Polyester and Eastman Chemical Company, manufacture microplastic pellets, called “nurdles,” which are sold to produce larger plastic products.

According to the suit, for years the plant has unlawfully released large numbers of microplastic pellets onto the lands and waters around the plant. The pollution stretches at least 26 miles downstream, where the microplastics are littered along the Congaree River at Congaree National Park. The plant is also discharging large amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a toxic chemical, into the Congaree River without a permit. This pollution violates the federal Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the suit alleges.    

“The idea that we have a chemical plant littering plastics in the Congaree River along the only National Park in South Carolina, it’s just unacceptable,” said Carl Brzorad, SELC senior attorney. “We filed our case today to ensure that Alpek and Eastman end their years of pollution and clean up their mess.”         

Microplastic pollution can persist for centuries and poses serious threats to public health and the environment. Plastic pellets do not decompose and instead break down into smaller and smaller particles, which are frequently ingested by fish and by people who eat contaminated fish or drink contaminated water. Microplastics can build up in the bodies of people and animals, causing a myriad of health risks. In 2020, SELC, on behalf of Charleston Waterkeeper, successfully sued over microplastic pollution in Charleston Harbor, litigation that resulted in a $1 million settlement.

The Alpek-Eastman plant has also illegally released large amounts of 1,4-dioxane—a probable carcinogen that is linked to a broad array of health problems—into the Congaree River. Sampling has shown that levels of 1,4-dioxane in the facility’s discharges have reached over 20,000 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory limit for the toxic chemical. This is particularly concerning given that there are two downstream drinking water sources serving the citizens of South Carolina.

“The Congaree River and Congaree National Park are truly special places in South Carolina, but for years these companies have polluted them. We are going to hold them accountable and make sure this plastic pollution stops,” said Bill Stangler, Congaree Riverkeeper.

Reporters can access photos of the facility and its nurdle pollution at this link: https://southernenvironment.sharefile.com/d-sb179fc2865054f998314f0f15e40d9ab. Credit: Congaree Riverkeeper