COMMUNITY EFFECTS
Silfab Solar’s solar cell manufacturing facility in Fort Mill, SC, poses significant health and safety risks due to its use of hazardous chemicals near schools, homes and businesses.
Community
concerns.
Local Consequences
Silfab Solar’s heavy industrial, solar cell manufacturing facility is in an area that is currently a light industrial zone on Logistics Lane in Fort Mill. While the development of green energy solutions is a step forward, it’s important to understand how this new facility could impact our community—especially the health, safety, and daily life of families and businesses in the area.
The Risks.
Health and Safety Risks to Our Children and Families
One of the most significant concerns we face with the proposed Silfab Solar factory is the proximity to Flint Hill Elementary and Middle Schools, located just 1300 feet away. This puts the children, staff, and administration at increased risk due to the hazardous chemicals that will be used in the manufacturing process.
The facility plans on storing and using highly explosive and toxic chemicals, including:
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Silane – a highly flammable chemical that combusts upon contact with air
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Hydrofluoric Acid – a severe breathing irritant that can cause long-term damage to the lungs
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Hydrochloric Acid – another respiratory irritant with dangerous health implications
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Anhydrous Ammonia – a chemical that, in the worst-case scenario, could result in a toxic release with a 2.2-mile impact zone
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Pure Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide - while more common in industry, they are highly regulated and together they add significantly more explosive risk to the factory when put in close proximity to highly unstable and pyrophoric Silane and Trimethylaluminum
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Other Chemicals - Silfab also plans on storing and using undisclosed quantities of pyrophoric trimethylaluminum, methane, phosphorus oxychloride, and boron trichloride.
These chemicals present a serious safety threat to anyone within close proximity of the plant, especially young children, who are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposure. Children are still developing, and their bodies are different from adults—they have a higher lung surface area in relation to their body weight, making them more susceptible to harmful chemicals. Learn more about the chemicals that will be in use
impact.
Effects on Local Businesses, Schools, and Residents
A new Health Risk Assessment from the University of South Carolina confirms Silfab Solar’s factory poses a serious chemical threat to our community. In a worst-case release, over 53,000 people—including those at 17 schools and 20 daycares—could be affected, some as far as 3.4 miles away.
Silfab’s site sits just 0.25 miles from two future public schools and is surrounded by neighborhoods, senior communities, businesses, and hotels. The USC study modeled how hazardous chemicals used at the facility—like hydrochloric acid and anhydrous ammonia—could spread far beyond the property line in the event of an accident.
Even a traffic disruption, like the 2024 gas line incident near Nation Ford High, showed how quickly chaos can unfold. A chemical release could bring I-77 to a standstill, making safe evacuation for schools and neighborhoods nearly impossible. Read more.
What's at stake.
Why This Matters to You
The people of Fort Mill and the surrounding areas deserve to live, work, and send their children to school without the looming fear of industrial accidents and health hazards. By sharing this information and getting involved in the conversation, we can ensure that the voices of concerned citizens are heard. We’re not just talking about numbers on a map—we’re talking about our friends, neighbors, and families who are all impacted by these decisions.
The development of green energy and solar technology is important, but it must be done safely and with the well-being of our community at the forefront. We urge you to stay informed, ask questions, and support initiatives that put people’s safety first. Together, we can make sure that the future we’re building is one that truly benefits us all—without putting our children or families at risk.
Let’s work together to protect Fort Mill, our children, and the future of our community.
The Issue
Silfab Solar’s proposed factory raises health and safety concerns, especially for nearby Flint Hill Schools. Hazardous chemicals will impact families, schools, and businesses.
Timeline
How did we get here? We've compiled a list of the dates of the most important events that led us to where we are today. View the full timeline.
FAQ
Explore our FAQ page for answers to community concerns about Silfab Solar's Fort Mill facility, including chemical usage, zoning information, proximity to schools, and environmental impact.