Inspectors Find Leaks Of Cancer-Linked Chemical At Louisiana Plant

Federal regulators suggested that a Louisiana chemical plant repeatedly violated clean air laws by emitting a likely carcinogen into the surrounding environment.

A draft report released by the Environmental Protection Agency found about 50 violations of the Clean Air Act, according to a report in The Advocate.

The plant in LaPlace, La., was operated by DuPont for decades before it was sold to Japanese chemical company Denka in late 2015.

Shortly thereafter, the federal National Air Toxic Assessment report identified St. John the Baptist Parish as the county with the highest potential cancer risk from airborne pollutants in the U.S.

State and federal officials identified high levels of chloroprene, which is used in the plant's production of Neoprene synthetic rubber. Although the facility used chloroprene for decades, recent monitoring showed that some nearby concentrations were 88 times the EPA's threshold for increased cancer risk.

EPA inspectors last year found inadequate oversight of plant operations and 31 valve leaks at the complex, including 16 from lines that were left uncapped. Other leaks occurred in areas where the plant was supposed to burn off chloroprene emissions.

Inspectors also said the plant did not properly calculate its chloroprene emissions -- partly because its instruments were unable to read high levels of the chemical.

The probe remains ongoing while federal regulators receive feedback from the company. Denka could be subject to fines or other sanctions if regulators determine that the company broke the law, but the paper noted that process could take years.

Denka contested numerous findings, particularly arguing that the uncapped lines were equipped with automatic cutoff valves. Plant manager Jorge Lavastida told The Advocate that the company is working with regulators "to resolve what we believe to be significant errors in the report.”

Louisiana officials, meanwhile, reached an agreement with the company in January under which Denka will pay $17.5 million to retrofit the plant and cut emissions by 85 percent by the end of the year.