Elevated levels of PFAS persist near Perdue AgriBusiness facility in Salisbury

UPDATE: This article was updated on Dec. 20, 2024 to correct statistical numbers, and include a statement from attorneys Phil Federico and Chase Brockstedt of Baird Mandalas Brockstedt & Federico.

SALISBURY, Md. – Perdue is reporting good progress after elevated levels of PFAS, or so-called forever chemicals, were found in groundwater near its Zion Church Road AgriBusiness facility. The discovery sparked warning letters to nearby residents and spurred a class action lawsuit. Company leaders are still searching for the source of the chemicals in the water. PFAS have been linked to serious illness by scientists.

“A lot of progress,”

Drew Getty, Perdue’s Vice President of Sustainability, said the company has received validated test results for more than 95 percent of the 550 affected homes. Perduce shared the progress with homeowners in a letter dated Dec. 19.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in a relatively short amount of time,” Getty said.

Thus far, tests have indicated non-detectable levels of PFAS in some of the area homes’ wells. Others have returned results as high as 3,900 parts per trillion, said Getty. He added that 80 percent of test results showing elevated levels measure between four and 500 parts per trillion.

Tests Continue to Show Elevated PFAS Levels

On April 10 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. The Maximum Contaminant Levels were set at four parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. Both of which are types of PFAS.

The decision was made after the EPA evaluated more than 120,000 public comments. With the final rule, the EPA expects to prevent PFAS exposure in drinking water for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.

To protect affected residents in Salisbury, Perdue is in the process of installing point of entry treatment, or POET, units on home well systems. To date, Getty said Perdue had installed 158 of the units. About 48 percent of affected properties have received installation, Getty added.

“They’re working, and we’ve got about a hundred properties that we’ve received test results showing either non-detectable or below-detectable limits… We continue to work very closely with the Maryland Department of the Environment, updating them weekly on test results as we receive them,” Getty said.

Looking Ahead

The half-mile testing radius was expanded in November after homeowners were initially notified in October.

Getty said there are no current plans to further expand those boundaries. Meantime, Perdue is providing about 465 impacted residents with free bottled water. Getty expects testing and POET system installation to be complete by the spring of 2025. Perdue is also working with the Wicomico County Health Department in this process.

As for the class action lawsuit against Perdue over the elevated levels of PFAS and how they may affect impacted homeowners’ health, company officials could not comment on the ongoing litigation.

In a statement, attorneys Phil Federico and Chase Brockstedt of Baird Mandalas Brockstedt & Federico, said the firm remains committed to representing affected residents in the suit.

“We are pleased that Perdue has taken some initial steps to address the contamination stemming from its Salisbury plant, but there is much more work to do to end the pollution, clean up the local environment, and right this wrong. As our litigation on behalf of this community moves forward, we look forward to getting answers for our clients… We remain committed to holding Perdue accountable, restoring the quality of the groundwater, and ensuring the health of all impacted community members going forward,” Federico and Brockstedt said in a joint statement shared with WMDT.

Perdue “focused on doing what’s right”

Kevin McAdams, CEO of Perdue, said keeping the residents at the center of the process has always been the company’s goal.

“Perdue has been around for 105 years now, and our goal is to continue to do the right thing, every time, to the best of our ability… We are focused on doing what’s right for the community and the residents,” McAdams said.