EPA's Ongoing Work in La Place, Louisiana Why EPA is Involved: • As a part of EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment, we have been completing work near the community surrounding the Denka Performance Elastomer facility in La Place, LA. • EPA's work in La Place began after the National Air Toxics Assessment was released in 2015. This report indicated that chloroprene being released from the Denka facility could potentially lead to increased cancer risks in the surrounding community. About Chloroprene: • Chloroprene is a chemical used to make Neoprene and some other similar synthetic rubbers that are chemical and weather resistant. • In 2010, EPA classified chloroprene as a likely human carcinogen. • People are exposed to chloroprene primarily by breathing it in. • The Denka facility is the only facility that produces chloroprene in the United States. What EPA Has Done So Far: • Beginning in May 2016, EPA began monitoring ambient air for chloroprene in six locations in the community. • EPA works in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the local community, and the Denka facility. Initial Progress: • Control Measures: Denka has implemented several control measures at the plant under an agreement with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. • Reductions in Chloroprene: The results of EPA's ambient air monitoring taken since these control measures were implemented show substantial reductions in chloroprene in ambient air at all six monitoring sites. New Monitoring System Needed: • While there has been a substantial reduction in the chloroprene levels in ambient air, EPA has found from the data that there appear to be periodic spikes of chloroprene still occurring. • The current air monitors take samples on a regular, but periodic, basis, capturing 24-hour averages of chloroprene in the air. This limits the ability to pinpoint when spikes are occurring, how often they are occurring, and exactly how large the spikes are. A Goal to Further Reduce Chloroprene Emissions: • EPA is implementing a new monitoring system using SPods. • SPods are monitors that are triggered to collect a sample when a spike occurs. This will measure short-term concentrations of chloroprene only when a spike occurs potentially helping to identify sources within the facility. • These new monitors will allow EPA to increase our knowledge about chloroprene spikes. ------- • Once the new monitors are installed and functioning properly, the previous ambient air monitoring system will be discontinued. • With this increased information about chloroprene spikes, EPA's goal is to identify actions that the Denka facility can take to further reduce chloroprene emissions and lower the amount of chloroprene in the community. ------- |