DISCUSSION — Officials with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services were in Weirton Wednesday seeking input from residents on potential local producers of “forever chemicals” and their effects on local communities. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Over much of the last 80 years, substances dubbed “forever chemicals,” because of their inability to break down naturally, have made their way into much of our lives.

A group of governmental entities, environmental organizations and other interested groups has been traveling the Northern Panhandle this week to speak with residents in an effort to better identify potential sources of those chemicals – also known as PFAS – and develop an action plan on how to potentially address them.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, and other local sponsoring organizations, have been hosting a series of community meetings, with much of the focus on contamination of the public drinking water systems in the region.

Approximately 15 area residents gathered Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Weirton-Steubenville Area to learn more on the matter.

“Tonight is one of four in the Northern Panhandle we’re having this week,” explained Casey Korbini, acting director for the DEP’s Division of Land Restoration, explaining the effort of better locating the sources of PFAS chemicals, and places affected by them. “We’re trying to find where those are and how we can restrict our exposure.”

A final in-person meeting is set to take place at 6 p.m. today at the Benwood McMechen Housing Authority. Meetings also were held this week in Follansbee and Chester.

A virtual meeting is planned for Dec. 11, with registration information to be released in the coming weeks.

PFAS – also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – can be found in more than 10,000 chemical products, according to officials in attendance Wednesday, who noted those chemicals are used in the production of a variety of items, including fast food containers, pesticides, stain resistant products, firefighting foam, some makeup, candy wrappers, shampoos, water resistant clothing, non=stick cookware, cleaning products, and some paints.

“This chemical was made, and it made our lives better, but it doesn’t naturally break down,” noted Carrie Decker, community engagement manager for the West Virginia Rivers Coalition.

Through the chemicals’ use, they have made their way into the air, water supplies, and foods.

Through the partnership, supported by a $1 million Government-to-Government grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a pilot program involving 15 communities in West Virginia – including Weirton, Follansbee, Chester, Benwood, and Glen Dale – will be developed in an effort to better address the screening and removal from public water supplies.

Weirton Area Water Board officials currently are working with the Thrasher Group to design a filtration system as part of a future update to its water treatment plant.

More information about the community meetings and the program can be found online through the DEP and at https://www.wvrivers.org/PFAS.