Pressure Washing in Goose Creek, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is now investigating complaints about a white dust produced by an aluminum plant that has caused complaints and worries for Goose Creek residents.

Alumina dust is a gritty substance people who live near the Mount Holly Century Aluminum Plant say coats vehicles, plants, mailboxes and anything else outside in areas across Goose Creek. It is produced during the smelting process but is not supposed to leave the plant, a problem DHEC is now looking into.

The Mount Holly aluminum smelter has been operating for more than 40 years. But some neighbors say it is recent emissions from the plant that they’re not getting answers about, making them worry about their health.

“It looks like someone has taken baby powder and just shook it all over the cars,” Jackie Davis Pfister, who lives in Goose Creek, says. “It’s gritty. It’s baking into our cars.”

Davis Pfister says this entire process has just been a nightmare and says she’s not the only one who is frustrated. There are multiple posts on Facebook that have garnered hundreds of comments about the same thing.

“It needs to be more addressed than it has been,” Goose Creek resident Marilyn Leegette says. “I wish DHEC would send out some kind of hazard report so people can make themselves educated about what this can do to them.”

DHEC confirmed agents have been to the facility and in the community to gather information as part of their investigation. They say they are working closely with the facility to develop an immediate corrective action plan.

Jonathan Brown, Century Aluminum’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager, confirmed that Century believes the emissions may be caused by an unusual failure in the plant’s baghouse. The plant is not 100% sure of the reason for the failure, but are looking at two potential possibilities. One is that a recent change of suppliers for the filters in the baghouse took place, and Century knows that on three occasions a very small portion of the bags failed. The second possibility is recent episodes of high pressure in the bag house.

Brown says Century is working diligently to address these emission issues.

On Monday, Century confirmed they had four “events.” One happened on Sept. 3, two on Sept. 16 and another on Sept. 30. Century says the issue will be fixed by Oct. 17.

But those in the community are worried about their health with some people reporting problems like rashes and difficulty breathing.

“It’s very concerning for me,” Leegette says. “I believe honestly that if there are short-term effects that are showing, there has got to be long-term effects as well.”

“If we could just know what type of air we’re breathing: Is it dangerous to us? I think we just want to know the answer,” Davis Pfister says.

DHEC says alumina dust is not considered a hazardous substance. The particle size of the dust being seen in the community is large and therefore too big to enter human lungs; however, it can still irritate skin, eyes, and the nose, and can be a respiratory irritant after prolonged exposure.

DHEC has also deployed portable air sensors in the area to measure any smaller, breathable particulate matter, called “fine particulate matter.”

DHEC says it’s important to know that the data will represent all particulate matter in the area, not just from a single source or single facility. There can be many different sources of particulate matter emissions within an area. The data from these sensors will help the agency identify any air quality trends in the community.

After an inquiry into the issue, the city of Goose Creek set up a town hall meeting with Century Aluminum and DHEC representatives for Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Greg Habib will moderate this discussion, which will include questions from attendees. Experts in toxicology, air quality and public health from DHEC will join Century Aluminum leaders who will discuss the issue of excess emissions at the plant, and the plan to fix this problem.

Century says they have set up a website where residents should report their personal situation. They can also call a hotline number at 312-696-3131.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — It's alumnia dust, and it's becoming a nuisance in Goose Creek.

People who live near the Century Aluminum Plant say the particles are covering cars and raising concerns over possible health issues.

"You can actually pick up piles of it, and that's probably not a good thing," Nat Miranda said.

Read more: White dust emitted into Goose Creek from Century Aluminum plant; officials respond.

Miranda said this dust covering his car had been a problem for weeks.

"I mean, they've been a great neighbor for years now," Miranda said. "They need to take some steps to address it and make sure that we feel comfortable with them around still."

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib said he's been in contact with the plant. He explained the problem is with the Century's baghouse. And DHEC tells him the dust isn't a health issue.

"DHEC does not see this as a public health issue," Habib said. "There's a big difference between exposure and chronic exposure. Chronic exposure is constant exposure over a long period of time, and no one is experiencing that at this point."

Mayor Habib said he's been in contact with state leaders discussing the issue.

"The governor's office reported back to me what they learned," he said. "DHEC is in the area today and tomorrow with air quality testing measures to measure and see what exactly what the air quality issues are."

Read more: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces 26th Annual Silent Witness Ceremony.

As for a timeline to get the issue fixed, it won't take more than a few weeks.

"Now as they have gained more information over the last couple of days, they feel like they have a solution that hopefully won't take more than a week or two," he said. "I know that they are working diligently to get it fixed as fast as they can."

In the meantime, both parties said they want to see transparency.

"They told the regulators when it happened," Miranda said. "What about telling the community? I mean, obviously, it's something that we can see, so how about you say, Hey, we had a problem."

Habib added: "People wanna see transparency. and we continue to work to get that. I think that we have to figure out as a, as a governmental agency, d e C and us and Century Aluminum as a corporate entity, um, to communicate maybe a little bit faster than we have, um, about what the issues are."

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — People who live in Goose Creek have been complaining for weeks about a white powder-like substance in the air- identified as alumina dust.

They said it’s been covering their cars and homes, and even making it hard to breathe.

Monday night, Goose Creek residents heard from health and environmental experts for the first time about the issue, and their plan to fix it.

They were also able to ask representatives from Century Aluminum and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) questions

Some told News 4 before the meeting started they were just looking for transparency.

“First, we’re sorry. I understand your concerns and frustrations, but we also appreciate your patience. We will fix this issue,” said Dennis Harbath, the plant manager at Century Aluminum.

Century Aluminum said the release of alumina dust in Goose Creek first happened because of accelerated bag failures. They said they’re replacing the failed bags and expect their action plan to take 10 days to solve the problem.

Read More: White dust emitted into Goose Creek from Century Aluminum plant; officials respond

But people who live in the area are still concerned.

“I’m exhausted all the time, I get headaches, you know, my eyes burn. It’s just been a total nightmare,” said Jackie Davis Pfister.

Pfister lives in Goose Creek, and people like her who have preexisting conditions like asthma are worried about long-term effects.

“Before I never really had to use my inhaler except for when I was sick or overexerted myself, that was the only time I used it, but now it’s just a regular basis, three to five times [per day],” she said.

Read More: Goose Creek residents grapple with alumina dust from local aluminum plant

DHEC said there is a certain type of aluminum oxide particles they’re keeping their eye on.

“What we were most concerned about is actually the smaller particles that you could actually breathe in and actually get into your lungs. So, for that reason we did put out some air sensors,” said Rhonda Thompson, the Bureau of Air Quality chief for DHEC.

But she said the readings from their sensors have been very low so far.

Other questions came from the crowd: Why didn’t the plant shut down when the leak first happened? And, how will aluminum oxide affect animals, and not just people?

Read More: DHEC confirms 2023 season's first flu-related death in SC

But Monday’s experts said they couldn’t answer some of those questions, leaving many frustrated.

Statistics from the DHEC air sensors and the area’s current air quality can be found on DHEC's website.

People can also go to mthollyupdates.com for more information from Century Aluminum, including how the plant is working to solve this issue.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Families with students on spring break might be looking for something to do. In this Lowcountry city, they can now go on a wild goose chase – literally.

Last year, the City of Goose Creek Recreation Department partnered with the Goose Creek Artists Guild to start the City’s “Adopt a Goose” Program. Since then, 21 different local businesses in Goose Creek have adopted their very own statues.

Each business got creative direction to work with members of the artist guild to design unique and individualized goose statues that will then make their nests with their owners.

To both push this initiative of supporting local artists and shine spotlights on local businesses, the City created a scavenger hunt to find these four-and-a-half-foot tall statues.

Starting Saturday, Goose Creek residents can grab a map and start snapping pictures with each goose statue and try to find them all. Officials say participants can share those pictures with the City by tagging them @cityofgoosecreek and @cityofgoosecreekrecreation on Instagram or at the City of Goose Creek and Goose Creek Recreation Facebook pages using the hashtags #FollowTheFlock and #GCGooseChase.

Here’s how to join in on the fun:

This isn’t all, though. Officials have prepared an additional incentive for students on spring break all week.

Starting Monday and going through Friday, three random goose statues will “lay” a golden egg. Inside are prizes such as gifts and coupons from local businesses.

The City has a full list of all goose statues, ranging from Sgt. McGoose at John McCants Veterans Park to Goosetavo over at E-Z Auto of Goose Creek, listed on its website. Make sure to check hours for some locations as certain geese are nested inside.

Businesses who are interested in acquiring their own goose statue can find more information here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - One Goose Creek barber college is making an impact on both hair and history.

Even at 82 years old, Howard Boyd is built for barbering. You could say it’s in his blood. Boyd’s father, a barber, was his first teacher.

“He used to cut hair on the porch—front porch and he was telling me how to cut his hair,” Boyd said. “So, I ended up cutting his hair and he turned the clippers over to me and said, ‘Hey, you need to—you can take it from here. You can have it.’”

Beyond that feeling of a fresh fade, it’s Boyd’s legacy that will live on. He’s the founder of the first Black-owned barber college in the state of South Carolina.

“It was just a three-bedroom building which we stayed. My family lived here. That was the kitchen. And right downstairs here, which is the garage carport, we were able to start the garage barbershop,” Boyd said.

Since its founding in 1986, Goose Creek Barber & Styling College, which is now Howard’s Barber & Styling College, has trained about one thousand students, according to Boyd.

“Just the work I’ve done speaks for me,” he said.

Former students like Jessie Washington, Kenyatta Grimmage and Jermaine Scott have all gone through the college and have made barbering an integral part of their own lives.

“In 1996, I was able to open the first female, African-American barbershop in Goose Creek, South Carolina,” Jessie Washington said. “I’d just like to thank Mr. Howard for having the vision to help others.”

“We give free haircuts at the College of Charleston, where you know, I’m the Associate Director of Admissions down there,” Grimmage said, who also happens to be Boyd’s son-in-law. “We do a program called Cuts and Conversations where we have conversations with young men.”

“It was like how can I step up my game and be like this guy whose name just rings bells throughout the whole community?” Scott said.

Washington, Grimmage and Scott are now instructors at Howard’s Barber & Styling College, working alongside Boyd to teach the next generation of hair artists and entrepreneurs.

“It’s work. Work. You have to continue to work. You have to have a passion for it. You know it’s nonstop, when it’s good or when it’s bad,” Boyd laughed. “But you still work. You keep the faith and it works out. Trust me.”

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.