WILMINGTON, N.C. — Most people this time of year are seeing their cars coated in pollen.
Ivy Miller, however, says her car is always coated in dust. It’s a problem she says she’s been dealing with since she moved into her neighborhood of Sunset Park near Wilmington's port in 2018.
After six years, Miller is pushing back and wants answers. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Division of Air Quality says it’s received multiple complaints from four Sunset Park residents since mid-December.
Miller's neighbor, Ed Foraker, says he and his wife have been dealing with the issue for eight years, adding that it’s been worse than usual the past few months.
“The last three or four months, it’s every day,” Foraker said. “I have to run my wipers to get the sawdust so I can see out the windshield.”
Miller says she can tell she’s been breathing something in.
“I’ve never had allergies, my voice has never sounded this raspy constantly, I wake up and I’m like completely, like I can’t even breathe through my nose, and you know I cough a lot more now, I’m constantly clearing my throat,” she said. “There’s very obviously something wrong with the air.”
Wherever the dust is coming from, Miller says she’s worried about the long-term effects breathing it in might have.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says exposure to fugitive dust can aggravate asthma and worsen respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
That’s why it's important to control fugitive dust.
The state Division of Air Quality says state regulations requires a facility to prevent dust from extending beyond property boundaries. Residents of the Sunset Park neighborhood live within miles of two facilities: Eviva Biomass and Basaga International.
The air quality agency says between December and January, Enviva Biomass had issues with two hatch doors causing a dust leak. The agency says that’s been fixed. The agency says more recently, dust was found blowing over from Basaga International.
“Staff are frequently in the area working to ensure all facilities at the port, including Enviva Biomass and Basaga International don’t create any off-site dust issues,” the agency said.
It sent a letter to Basaga International saying the company has 30 days upon receiving the letter to identify the source of fugitive dust and 60 days to come up with a plan to control it.
Once agency approves that plan, the company has 30 days to be in compliance.
Spectrum News 1 has reached out to Enviva Biomass and Basaga International for comment. Enviva has declined to comment and Basaga has not responded to the request.