A semiconductor factory funded by the Biden administration is dumping chemicals linked to increased cancer risk into a river surrounded by homes.

People who live nearby said they were “absolutely terrified” by the range of harmful chemicals leaking into the Winooski River in Vermont.

Semiconductors are the building blocks of computers, mobile phones and almost all modern electronic devices, and the government has been keen to support the industry amid concerns that many of the chips will be imported from Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and China.

The Telegraph has seen research showing the extent of emissions in a public waterway, raising fears for the health of locals.

No illnesses related to the chemical leak have been reported.

Experts have raised the alarm about the release of Perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS)that are used in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

David Millward

they are Known as “eternal chemicals”. because they cannot be processed by the human body once ingested. Human exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer and other diseases and also to fertility problems.

In February, the government announced that it had awarded GlobalFoundries, the semiconductor manufacturing company, $1.5 billion in federal grants for its Fab 9 facility in Essex Junction, Vermont.

The town of almost 11,000 inhabitants is located in the Green Mountains and the factory is the largest private employer in the area.

But it’s dumping PFAS, that are used in the production processto the river.

Some of the chemicals dumped into the water have never been disclosed to the public before, because the company is not required to report them.

David Millward

The Telegraph obtained a copy of a confidential survey conducted by researchers at Cornell University on behalf of GlobalFoundries in October 2023.

It found the factory was releasing 18 PFAS chemicals into the Winooski River and experts believe they could find their way into drinking water.

PFAS cannot be broken down by the human body and has been linked to a number of health problems, including several cancers.

Under state law, GlobalFoundries must report various PFAS releases to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. The company has complied with the law by reporting 17 PFAS chemicals it has released.

Among the chemicals in the report, which GlobalFoundries is not required to disclose to the public, is GenX, a chemical used as a substitute for PFAS in industrial processes, which the Environmental Protection Agency has linked to liver, kidney and system problems. immunological, as well as with fertility problems. problems and an association with cancer.

Security levels

The report found that at the time the samples were collected in 2022, the concentration of GenX in the water released by the factory into the river was 88 parts per billion.

The federal government has set a national limit for the amount of GenX in drinking water at ten parts per billion. Some PFAS, including other chemicals released by the GlobalFoundries plant, have a lower safe level of four parts per billion.

There is no federal limit for the concentration of PFAS, including GenX, in rivers. Although the Winooski River is not used for drinking water, chemicals released into rivers and streams can still reach the human body.

People can consume PFAS that are dispersed in the air or eat fish that have absorbed the chemicals. The Winooski River is a popular spot for fishing for salmon, steelhead, and bass.

Research has found that chemicals accumulate in the human body throughout life and can lead to an increased risk of health problems even if the amount consumed regularly is very low.

Local residents in Essex Junction told The Telegraph they were concerned for their health after learning of the presence of PFAS in the river next to their homes, and called on the US government to review the company’s funding.

Alison Bombard, who lives near the factory, said: “I’m absolutely terrified.”

“I think the general public should have been alerted if they were releasing chemicals into that waterway,” Darren Haynes said.

“Vermonters are very proud of their natural areas and if something like this was published, it should have been brought to a town meeting so we could discuss it.”

Breana Fucile, another resident, said the government had a responsibility to address the problem.

“I think the (Biden) administration should stop funding them and have GlobalFoundries tell us what they are going to do to clean up the mess, if they can,” he said.

GlobalFoundries told The Telegraph that it had disclosed its PFAS emissions and mitigation plans to the government before receiving federal funding, and that it had run “active PFAS reduction programs.”

“We remain committed to finding ways to reduce or eliminate its use,” a spokesperson said.

“The production of all semiconductors, including those manufactured by GlobalFoundries, requires PFAS.

“GlobalFoundries meets or exceeds all applicable regional, state and federal laws and reporting requirements related to our manufacturing operations.”

Hayley Jones, director of Slingshot, an environmental group, said: “Studies have shown that PFAS are linked to several different types of cancer, different reproductive difficulties and birth defects.

“We are really concerned about the public health impacts of PFAS emissions, both on people living downstream in Winooski and Colchester and on people in the factories.”

Regulating PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing has become a topic of debate in Washington as the federal government seeks to increase domestic production.

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