Holden company slapped with $15K fine for PFAS contamination
HOLDEN — The state has fined a Holden company for not notifying authorities in a timely manner of its release of hazardous materials that contaminated groundwater.
Avient Colorants USA LLC, a maker of paints and coatings, was slapped with a $15,125 fine by the state Department of Environmental Protection, according to a state press release. The agency said Avient discovered PFAS in groundwater at the company's property at 85 Industrial Drive but didn't follow state law for timely notification.
“PFAS is a persistent problem that requires our prompt attention to address and mitigate; groundwater that is contaminated with these hazardous forever chemicals often end up in the drinking water supply,” said Mary Jude Pigsley, director of the state DEP's Central Regional Office in Worcester.
“Sitting on information about PFAS contamination further endangers water resources and public health. We expect companies to comply with our state regulations and take responsible actions that prioritize the health and safety of our environment and communities.”
Avient did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They’re man-made chemicals found in heat- and stain-resistant coatings in numerous products. “Forever chemicals” is a term for PFAS because many of the chemicals don’t break down in the environment and can enter food and water systems.
Exposure to elevated levels of certain PFAS may cause a variety of health effects, according to Massachusetts environmental officials, including developmental effects in infants, impacts to certain organ functions and the immune system, and an elevated cancer risk.
Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established tougher standards to limit PFAS in public water systems.
In October 2021, the state DEP was notified that PFAS was detected in groundwater at a property on Main Street that likely originated at a property on Industrial Drive. The state requested information from Avient, which operates a facility near the Main Street property.
Avient supplied the state with a report that identified PFAS was detected in groundwater at its property one year prior. Instead of contacting the state within 120 days of learning about the contamination, as required by law, the company waited until after getting a state order in June 2023 to do so.
Besides the fine, Avient must investigate PFAS in groundwater at the company's property and submit a report to the state that is due in June.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Avient Colorants fined $15,000 over PFAS contamination in Holden, Mass
