Cancer Alley Neoprene Plant Shuts Down Indefinitely, Citing Global Slowdown, Despite Shitstain's
A controversial chemical plant in the centre of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” region has indefinitely suspended all production following dire financial results, the facility’s operators announced on Tuesday. The Denka Performance Elastomer plant in St John parish has long been associated with chronic air pollution issues and was the subject of a years-long Guardian reporting series examining the disproportionate cancer risk rates experienced by the majority-Black fence-line communities that surround the facility.
Denka, a Japanese chemicals firm, cited growing regulation during Joe Biden’s presidency and a “sustained slowdown in the global market demand” for its product, a synthetic rubber called neoprene, which is manufactured at the site. The company had not decided on permanent closure, a statement said, adding the chemicals giant was “exploring all available options for the future of the site, including sale of the facility”.
The fence-line community’s fight for clean air has become a national and international environmental justice clarion call, prompting a number of interventions from the Biden administration. These included the introduction of a new rule governing emissions on the plant’s primary pollutant, a likely human carcinogen named chloroprene, and a US justice department lawsuit seeking to compel Denka to lower its pollution.
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Denka made reference to the 2015 sale again on Tuesday, suggesting it had “not anticipated” the need to install pollution control technology and equipment at the point of purchase. Since purchasing the facility, the Japanese firm has invested over $35m in emissions offset technology and has claimed to have reduced chloroprene emissions by more than 80%. Notably, chloroprene readings recorded by the EPA have continued to show measurements well in excess of the federal government’s lifetime exposure guidance.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/13/louisiana-denka-plant-cancer-alley