RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The calls for regulating dangerous chemicals in North Carolina and across the United States continue to grow.

On Friday, environmental activists met at Lake Raleigh to call on state lawmakers to ban PFAS.

Everyone at the event said they want senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr to help ban PFAS in food packaging both on the state level and nationally.

“Ninety-eight percent of you listening or watching have it in your blood too and none of us asked for it. None of us know if it’s safe,” said activist Katie Bryant. “The EPA advisory limit of 70 parts per trillion is an absolute joke when any given day our numbers in Pittsboro exceed that limit.”

Bryant used to live in Pittsboro but moved out of the town to get access to safe drinking water, she said.

Seven states have banned PFAS from food packaging, and 18 major food companies like Wendy’s and Chipotle have announced they’ll stop using packaging with the chemicals.

On Monday, the head of the EPA, Michael Regan, was at Lake Raleigh to announce his long-term plan to begin regulating PFAS. Activists want the state’s lawmakers to support that plan.

Chemours is a company that has been at the heart of chemical contaminations in the state’s drinking water. The chemical compound known as GenX, which is one of many PFAS compounds, has been found in dangerous levels in Cumberland County’s drinking water.

In a statement, Chemours said it commended the EPA “for compiling a comprehensive, science-based approach.”

“While additional detail is needed for many of the initiatives, Chemours is supportive of the framework approach and looks forward to engaging in the process moving forward. We believe the voluntary stewardship program recommended by the agency could help achieve meaningful progress in reducing emissions while several of the initiatives work their way through the regulatory process.”

Chemours spokesperson Lisa Randall