Fluoride Action Network

State Fluoride Database

Read the latest fluoride news from your state; find out if your town is fluoridated, see if any communities have recently rejected fluoridation, learn if your state has a law that mandates fluoridation, and other fluoride-related information.

North Carolina

WATER FLUORIDATION STATUS:

  • PERCENT OF PEOPLE SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE FLUORIDATED:
    2018:  87.6% – ranked #18 among the states (100% fluoridated is ranked #1)
    2016 87.7%
    2014:  87.5%
    2012 87.5%
    2006:  87.6%
    2000:  83.3%
    1992:  78.5%
  • To see if your town is fluoridated, click here.
  • To learn when your town was fluoridated, and which fluoridation chemical it uses, click here.

WATER FLUORIDATION ACCIDENTS:

  • APRIL 1974 – Manly County:  Fluoride feeder pump malfunctions, causing the fluoride solution to be fed into the water system continuously while water pump is not operating. 213 individuals experience nausea after drinking orange juice mixed with water. 201 students and 7 adults vomit. (SOURCE: Bevis 1981)

Of Interest:

  • To see the latest news on fluoride developments in North Carolina, click here.
  • To see an updated list of North Carolina’s professionals calling for an end to fluoridation, click here.
  • High fluoride emissions were documented in a 1988 test of emissions from American Rockwool, Inc. in Spring Hope. American Rockwool makes insulation materials: Rock Wool, Slag, and Silica Mineral. The report notes:”The main purpose of the test was to determine fluoride emissions when producing rockwool with spent pot linings (SPL) salvaged from ALCOA’s aluminum production operations. It was desired to show to what extent fluoride emissions increase when SPL is substituted for coke. It was also desired to show to what extent the addition of lime decreases fluoride emissions. The filter used for fluoride testing was weighed for particulate determination. Sulfur dioxide was also measured… According to Ken Schuster, the real fluoride concern is that actual fluoride emissions not exceed six (6) pounds per hour and that the annual fluoride increase due to using SPL not exceed three tons.”

North Carolina’s FLUORIDATION LAW:

  • The State of North Carolina does not mandate fluoridation.  Local governments control fluoridation policy in NC.  City councils can begin or discontinue fluoridation at their discretion, or by a referendum vote.  NC also allows individual schools that have their own water supply to fluoridate school water.  Administrative code Title 10A, r. 40A.0306 requires that the state Department of Health, as well as the students’ parents be notified prior to implementation of in-school fluoridation programs.  To learn more about these fluoridation laws, click here.

DATA ON ORAL HEALTH:

FAN’S STATE COORDINATOR IN North Carolina:

If you live in NC and want to get the fluoride out of your water contact Evan Folds: evanfolds@gmail.com , FAN’s North Carolina state coordinator.

North Carolina COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE REJECTED FLUORIDATION:

Community Population Date
Fork Township, Goldsboro 5,000 August 2021
 Sparta 2,000 November 15, 2010
 Franklin 3,869
(as of 2011)
 May 2002

NORTH CAROLINA WATER SYSTEMS WITH HIGH FLUORIDE LEVELS:

Water System County Population Size Fluoride Level (ppm)
Gatesville Gates 325 2.7
Goose Creek Swain 0 1.7
Willamston Martin 7,200 1.5
Information from CDC’s Fluoridation Census published in 1993.

FLUORIDE POLLUTION SOURCES IN NORTH CAROLINA:

In 2008, North Carolina ranked #7 out of 48 states for Hydrogen Fluoride releases (2,798,344 pounds). North Carolina also released 2,659 pounds of Fluorine into the environment. The following data comes from EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). “Total releases” includes both water and air pollution. It’s important to note, however, that not all industries or sources that release fluoride into the environment are included in the TRI.

2008 Releases
(in pounds)
Type of Industry Name of Industry
476,242 Coal-fired power plant DUKE ENERGY CORP PLANT ALLEN. 253 PLANT ALLEN RD, BELMONT, North Carolina 28012 (GASTON)
303,407 Coal-fired power plant CLIFFSIDE STEAM STATION. 573 DUKE POWER RD, MOORESBORO, North Carolina 28114 (RUTHERFORD)
260,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – MAYO ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT. 10660 BOSTON RD, ROXBORO, North Carolina 27574 (PERSON)
220,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – ROXBORO STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT. 1700 DUNNAWAY RD, SEMORA, North Carolina 27343 (PERSON)
190,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – L V SUTTON ELECTRIC PLANT. 801 SUTTON STEAM PLANT RD, WILMINGTON, North Carolina 28401 (NEW HANOVER)
171,960 Coal-fired power plant DUKE ENERGY CORP BELEWS CREEK STEAM STATION. 3195 PINE HALL RD, BELEWS CREEK, North Carolina 27009 (STOKES)
163,535 Stone/Clay/Glass PINE HALL BRICK CO INC. 634 LINDSAY BRIDGE RD, MADISON, North Carolina 27025 (ROCKINGHAM)
148,697 Coal-fired power plant DUKE ENERGY CORP RIVERBEND STEAM STATION. 175 STEAM PLANT RD, MOUNT HOLLY, North Carolina 28120 (GASTON)
110,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – CAPE FEAR STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT. 500 CP&L RD, MONCURE, North Carolina 27559 (CHATHAM)
104,393 Coal-fired power plant DUKE ENERGY CORP BUCK STEAM STATION. 1555 DUKEVILLE RD, SPENCER, North Carolina 28159 (ROWAN)
100,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – H F LEE STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT. 1677 OLD SMITHFIELD RD, GOLDSBORO, North Carolina 27530 (WAYNE)
89,508 Chemicals /Phosphate PCS PHOSPHATE CO INC AURORA DIV. 1530 NC HWY 306 S, AURORA, North Carolina 27806 (BEAUFORT)
80,865 Coal-fired power plant DUKE ENERGY CORP DAN RIVER STEAM STATION. 900 S EDGEWOOD RD, EDEN, North Carolina 27288 (ROCKINGHAM)
56,499 Coal-fired power plant MARSHALL STEAM STATION. 8320 E NC 150 HWY, TERRELL, North Carolina 28682 (CATAWBA)
56,100 Paper BLUE RIDGE PAPER PRODUCTS INC (DBA EVERGREEN PACKAGING). 175 MAIN ST PO BOX 4000, CANTON, North Carolina 28716 (HAYWOOD)
53,000 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO – W H WEATHERSPOON PLANT. 491 POWER PLANT RD, LUMBERTON, North Carolina 28358 (ROBESON)
38,416 Stone/Clay/Glass LEE BRICK & TILE CO. 3704 HAWKINS AVE, SANFORD, North Carolina 27330 (LEE)
37,432 Stone/Clay/Glass GENERAL SHALE BRICK INC MONCURE FACILITY PLANTS 24 & 25. 300 BRICK PLANT RD, MONCURE, North Carolina 27559 (CHATHAM)
33,229 Coal-fired power plant CPI USA NORTH CAROLINA LLC. 1281 POWER HOUSE DR SE, SOUTHPORT, North Carolina 28461 (BRUNSWICK)
26,122 Stone/Clay/Glass BORAL BRICKS INC SALISBURY PLANT. 700 S LONG ST, EAST SPENCER, North Carolina 28039 (ROWAN)
25,851 Stone/Clay/Glass STATESVILLE BRICK CO. 391 BRICK YARD RD, STATESVILLE, North Carolina 28677 (IREDELL)
22,440 Stone/Clay/Glass HANSON BRICK ROSEBORO PLANT. 2981 AUTRY HWY 24, ROSEBORO, North Carolina 28382 (SAMPSON)
18,937 Stone/Clay/Glass HANSON BRICK – MONROE PLANT. 2304 BRICKYARD RD, HWY 74, MONROE, North Carolina 28110 (UNION)
4,479 Coal-fired power plant ROANOKE VALLEY ENERGY FACILITY. 290 POWER PL, WELDON, North Carolina 27890 (HALIFAX)
4,328 Coal-fired power plant EDGECOMB GENCO LLC. 6358 OLD BATTLEBORO RD, BATTLEBORO, North Carolina 27809 (EDGECOMBE)
2,659 FLUORINE NASH BRICK CO INC. 532 NASH BRICK RD, ENFIELD, North Carolina 27823 (HALIFAX)
2,200 Coal-fired power plant CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO-ASHEVILLE PLANT. 200 CP&L DR, ARDEN, North Carolina 28704 (BUNCOMBE)
500 Computers/Electronics CREE INC. 4600 SILICON DR, DURHAM, North Carolina 27703 (DURHAM)
168 Fabricated Metals BALL METAL BEVERAGE CONTAINER CORP. 1900 BARNES ST, REIDSVILLE, North Carolina 27320 (ROCKINGHAM)
20 Fabricated Metals REXAM BEVERAGE CAN CO RE: WINSTON SALEM PLANT. 4000 OLD MILWAUKEE LN, WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina 27107 (FORSYTH)
15 Chemicals GE CO. 3901 CASTLE HAYNE RD NC HWY 133, WILMINGTON, North Carolina 28401 (NEW HANOVER)

back to top