This coverage is made possible through a partnership between BPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.
Amidst the scenic views of Woodfin, North Carolina, the French Broad River conceals an environmental challenge that has persisted since Hurricane Helene’s wrath. This issue has galvanized community members, officials, and environmental advocates to gather and address the lingering problem of PVC pipe debris polluting the waterways.
At a local brewery, Riverside Rhapsody, MountainTrue’s cleanup teams shared insights on their efforts, having removed nearly 7 million pounds of debris from surrounding water bodies, much of it being plastic pipes. MountainTrue’s Clean Waters Director, Hartwell Carson, expressed frustration over failed attempts to engage IPEX, the company linked to the debris, for collaborative cleanup efforts. “They refused to even sit down and talk to us about this,” Carson stated from the brewery’s outdoor stage. “We’re still happy to go out and clean up the mess. But what we don’t want to do is start this over and have to pick up this mess all over again if the next flood comes.”
IPEX did not provide a comment to BPR regarding these concerns. However, a representative shared with the Asheville Watchdog in November that the company is committed to supporting local cleanup efforts and restoring the site in accordance with modern flood-proofing standards.
While Carson acknowledged IPEX’s cleanup efforts around the plant, he criticized the lack of action regarding downstream logjams. MountainTrue seeks community involvement throughout the French Broad Watershed to strategize further actions to press IPEX on the issue.
Carson expressed the potential public health risks as the pipes degrade. “It’s plastic breaking down in our water sheds that we don’t want and wasn’t there before Hurricane Helene,” he emphasized. A study by Appalachian State University, released last fall, indicated the emergence of new and increased PFAS and other contamination linked to plastic.
As Carson and other advocates presented their concerns, the sun highlighted the stacks of PVC pipes beside the river, remaining in the same location since before Helene struck.
Community efforts have led to stricter floodplain management regulations in Woodfin, surpassing Buncombe County’s rules. These include a floodplain development permit for properties within FEMA-designated flood hazard areas, requiring new construction to be elevated 4 feet above the base-flood level to discourage building in vulnerable areas.
Nevertheless, Woodfin’s town manager, Shannon Tuch, pointed out that the responsibility lies with IPEX to elevate its pipe storage. Due to the plant’s long-standing presence, the town lacks the authority to mandate higher storage. Additionally, North Carolina’s unique rule against downzoning prevents local governments from reducing development density or changing permitted uses without property owner consent.
“A lot of other municipalities and other states can say we’re just not going to allow outdoor storage in these flood-prone areas,” Tuch explained. “In the state of North Carolina, we can’t do that if there were previous rules that allowed it. That authority has been taken away from us.”
Despite these challenges, Tuch remains optimistic, noting improvements since the flood. “As water sort of rises and falls, and currents kind of change, It’ll displace material,” she observed. “I think we will continue to see pipe for a while, but it is looking a lot better.”
Tuch hopes for future collaboration with IPEX to secure cleanup funding and mentioned that the town actively seeks grants to further these efforts.
