DuPont’s LaPlace facility agreed to a $480,000 fine and corrective actions to halt benzene emissions, following EPA findings from an inspection revealing emissions above federal limits. “We are pleased to resolve this matter with the U.S. EPA,” said DuPont’s Daniel Turner, who clarified that despite disagreements over measurement results, DuPont took “immediate corrective actions.” Turner emphasized that there were “no impacts to site personnel or the community.”
The EPA’s April 2022 inspection involved monitoring 77 valves and 2 pumps, discovering benzene emissions as high as 20,100 ppm from a waste tank vent, with other readings exceeding limits set for safe air quality. DuPont’s own readings recorded lower levels, though their findings still indicated emissions above permissible thresholds. The EPA noted benzene’s severe health risks, including its links to leukemia and reproductive issues, and outlined federal standards requiring benzene containment measures below 500 ppm and capped valves.
The facility operates alongside Denka Performance Elastomers, a company previously owned
by DuPont, which also faced scrutiny for releasing chloroprene, another harmful chemical. The plant produces paraphenylenediamine (PPDA), used in making Kevlar, and operates around the clock with approximately 280 employees.
Link: The Advocate
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