N.C. to Conduct Second Test of Apex Plant for Contaminants

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North Carolina officials said that they will conduct a new round of environmental testing around an Apex industrial waste plant destroyed by fire earlier this month.

North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resource will test water, soil and indoor surfaces for heavy metals and contamination. That follows previous testing done in the immediate aftermath of the two-day inferno that resulted in thousands of residents being asked to leave their homes.

“This new round of testing will look for any environmental contaminants that could potentially cause long-term effects,” said Bill Ross, secretary of the department.

The first round of tests found no imminent health problems.

Cleanup at the chemical site, owned by EQ Industrial Services Inc., resumed on Oct. 20 after a chemical reaction sent another toxic cloud into the air last week.