The Lumberton wastewater treatment plant accepts leachate from the landfills as part of the city’s pretreatment program. Leachate is the fluid filtering through the landfill and is generated from liquids present in the waste and rainwater. This particular landfill has very high concentrations of Perfluoroalkyl and
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of chemicals that are difficult to break down in the environment and when consumed in drinking water build up in the body. PFAS are commonly known as "forever chemicals”, and have also been detected in the Lumber River.

Leachate must be treated at a wastewater facility. The Lumberton wastewater treatment plant has the capability to treat it and has agreed to do so in order to generate revenue, but there are currently no standards on PFAS in terms of wastewater.

These chemicals can be found in multiple locations on Lumbee lands and are slowly poisoning the tribe.