According to the EPA, “The CRISP 2022 Report concluded there was a “likelihood of chronic exposure to low doses of chloroprene at levels [from the Denka facility] which may have potential health impacts on vulnerable populations.” The Report also stated that “Fifth Ward Elementary School students may potentially face unacceptably high cancer risks based only on the years of school attendance. ”
Finally, the CRISP 2022 Report found detectable levels of chloroprene even during periods of reported Denka facility shutdowns.” Also “The recommendations from the CRISP 2022 Report provided LDH and LDEQ with practical steps to potentially reduce and prevent chloroprene exposure in the St. John the Baptist Parish community.”
The CRISP (Cancer Reporting In St. John Parish) reporting is conducted between January 2020 and January 2021. This was conducted by the School of Public Health, LSU Health Sciences Center to address concerns regarding cancer occurrences associated with proximity to the Denka Performance Elastomer facility, formerly DuPont facility, in St. John the Baptist Parish. The main objective of this project was to verify the completeness of cancer reporting in St. John Parish.
The CRISP 2022 Report made several recommendations to Louisiana Department of Health, including:
- Engage in monitoring, mitigation and exposure prevention, including conducting health assessments and tracking health outcomes;
- Implement a school-based health surveillance system;
- Use air monitoring and biomonitoring to quantify resident and child exposures to chloroprene; and
- Work with LDEQ to establish a relationship with the community and to adopt precautionary practices and policies preventing the future siting of industries next to residential and community spaces.
To learn more:
The Lens NOLA Article
Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs