Northwest Georgia voters want accountability from ‘forever chemicals’ polluters
Dalton voters are clamoring for more accountability as the region wrestles with a “forever chemicals” contamination crisis.
As thousands of Whitfield County citizens went to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots across a slate of high-profile primary contests, voters from both parties were asked whether polluters responsible for the area’s pervasive PFAS contamination should be held accountable.
Overwhelmingly, voters said “yes”:
- 96% of Democrats said “yes” when asked “should cities, counties, and the state commit to holding polluters responsible for damage they cause and remedies necessary to clean up our water, air, and land?”
- 79% of Republican voters said “yes” when asked if they “oppose granting broad immunity to corporations for PFAS contamination and support holding manufacturers, suppliers, and polluters fully accountable for cleanup and damages?”
Dalton, known as the “carpet capital of the world,” is home to the largest carpet and flooring companies in the United States. For decades, these companies used products containing toxic compounds known as PFAS or forever chemicals, manufactured and sold by chemical giants such as DuPont and 3M.
An investigation by the AJC, The Associated Press and Frontline (PBS) that found these carpet companies continued to use these products for years despite growing concerns about health risks, including certain cancers, associated with the chemicals.
The crisis has raised questions about who should pay to clean up the region’s water and soil, giving rise to dozens of lawsuits. Several northwest Georgia lawmakers have sought to protect Dalton’s premiere industry or otherwise limit PFAS litigation through failed legislative efforts this spring.
Party members say the questions were in part a response to these attempts.
“Voters should be able to say whether they support broad immunity for corporations connected to PFAS contamination,” said MaKray Kyer, chair of the Whitfield County Republican Party.
Meanwhile, many of the legislators who sponsored these bills handily won their primary races.
Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton), who sponsored a bill this spring to shield carpet companies from legal liability, received 67% of the vote. Sen. Chuck Payne (R-Dalton), who co-sponsored another PFAS bill, beat out his primary challengers with 69% of the vote.
The ballot questions are just the latest example of how PFAS contamination has become infused into political life in the region. Candidates and politicians from both parties have promised accountability over a slew of primary, special and general elections this year, and town halls throughout northwest Georgia have become informal campaign stops.
About the Author
Dylan Jackson joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's investigations team in 2022 and writes about abuses of power.
