FORT MILL, S.C. — Silfab Solar is expected to restart its chemical commissioning process Monday, just days after Fort Mill Schools filed a counterclaim lawsuit against the solar manufacturing company and York County.
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On Friday, Silfab said it provided a 72-hour notice of operations to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services.
Work at the facility has been paused since March when there were two chemical leaks at the plant.
In July, a judge affirmed a York County Zoning Board ruling that said solar panel manufacturing is prohibited in a light industrial district, but the judge stopped short of saying Silfab has to stop production using chemicals.
Silfab said they’re getting back to full operations after a thorough review of the facility and its procedures.
The plant sits behind the new Flint Hill elementary and middle schools. As Channel 9 has been reporting for months, some parents are concerned about the chemicals the plant uses. They’ve been asking the district to get involved.
“The safety of our schools, all of our schools, regardless of whatever the issue may be, is a top priority for the district,” said Joe Burke, the chief communications officer at Fort Mill Schools.
Fort Mill neighbor Andy Lytle is the president of Citizens Alliance for Government Integrity, a non-profit residents group opposed to the Silfab site. The group has led the charge in the legal battle to shut down operations at the plant.
“I think the school and CAGI, from representing the citizens, want to make sure that the entire picture is understood by the judge so that he can make an informed decision,” Lytle said.
Silfab said no one was at risk after the March leaks, but they did cause disruptions at the nearby elementary school.
One leak involved 300 gallons of water mixed with potassium hydroxide. Silfab officials blamed a faulty valve for the overflowing pipe. Then two days later, Silfab confirmed that hydrofluoric acid had been dripping out of a tank, starting in late February. It was dripping about once an hour. Silfab said it was so small, they were not required to report it.
[ READ MORE >> Overflowing pipe to blame for March chemical leak at Silfab Solar ]