Fort Mill Schools join in the call to stop Silfab operations after chemical spill
The Fort Mill School District is joining the growing list of voices who want changes at the Silfab Solar site.
The district emailed a message to parents on Wednesday afternoon stating it would join S.C. Sens. Michale Johnson and Wes Climer, plus S.C. Reps. David Martin and Jackie Terribile in asking the state environmental services department to stop operations at Silfab.
The message comes one day after a 300-gallon spill containing potassium hydroxide at the 7149 Logistics Lane Silfab site. The incident required crews in hazmat suits but wasn’t a threat to the public, according to York County.
The school district also lends its support to Martin’s proposed legislation that would allow York County to revoke permits and halt operations when a business is out of compliance with zoning laws.
Silfab Solar received zoning verification from York County that it would be allowed at the Logistics Lane site zoned for light industrial use. The county Zoning Board of Appeals later determined solar panel manufacturing should instead be allowed only in heavy industrial areas, but York County determined that ruling only applied to project that were not yet approved.
Public debate on the Silfab site in Fort Mill has been steady for the past three years. Many people who have spoken at school board meetings expressed concerns about Silfab being next to Flint Hill Elementary School, which opened last fall. The school board has spoken extensively about safety measures, but hadn’t taken a stance for or against the Silfab project as the case was tied up in court.
“While the district lacks legal authority regarding the placement or permitting of commercial businesses,” the school district said in Wednesday’s message, “we are formally joining (legislators) in their request that the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services cease all operations at the Silfab Solar facility.”
The district also called for findings to be made public from an ongoing investigation related to Tuesday’s spill. That incident “has clearly demonstrated the need for additional action,” according to the school district.
“We are committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment, and we will continue to work tirelessly to uphold that standard,” the district email said.
Silfab is cooperating with the state environmental department investigation of what the company calls a “minor leak of approximately 300 gallons of water that contained a small amount of potassium hydroxide,” according to a company statement issue Wednesday afternoon.
The leak was confined to a small area and didn’t post any public threat, Silfab said. It’s been cleared and Silfab isn’t accepting any more chemical deliveries until authorized by the environmental department to do so.
“In the meantime, Silfab maintains operations safely and responsibly,” the company stated. “At the direction of (the environmental department), Silfab will only re-start deliveries once all regulatory requirements are satisfied. We are committed to preventing similar incidents in the future. The safety of our employees and the community remain our top priority.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 4:17 PM.