LAPLACE — Denka Performance Elastomer announced this week it began operating all the equipment by the end of 2017 specified in the Administrative Order on Consent the company signed with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality on Jan. 6.

Included in the new emissions control technology is Denka’s Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer, which the company said is the most significant voluntary emissions reducing project undertaken under the agreement.

The Oxidizer is one of four main projects designed to significantly reduce chloroprene emissions from LaPlace facility operations.

The equipment included in the four projects was installed at a cost of nearly $30 million, company leader said.

Denka Plant Manager Jorge Lavastida said they are pleased to have completed installation and started operation of all of our emission reduction projects.

“Our voluntary emissions reduction plan represents Denka’s commitment to our community,” Lavastida said.

“We have followed through on a promise made to our neighbors, employees and the state of Louisiana. I want to congratulate our many employees and contractors who committed their time over the last year to making these four projects a reality.”

The reduction projects included installing a brine condenser on the poly kettles vent, a vacuum pump and vent condenser on the CD Refining Column and routing various emission sources to an existing combustion unit.

Denka leaders said they would continue to monitor ambient air concentration alongside the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the first half of 2018 to determine the impact and effectiveness of reduction efforts.

The company expects to see significant reductions in ambient concentrations of chloroprene measured over that period.

The LaPlace facility produces Neoprene, a product used in a variety of applications including laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces, electrical insulation and automotive parts.

Denka purchased the Neoprene business at DuPont’s Pontchartrain Works Site in late 2015. The Neoprene plant employs 235 full-time workers. More than 250 additional contractors were also employed to install the emissions reduction equipment.

The emissions reduction projects were developed in response to an EPA National Air Toxics Assessment report published in December 2015 that suggested a high risk of health impacts in the area surrounding LaPlace.

Conversely, 13 St. John the Baptist Parish residents, including Parish Councilman Larry Sorapuru, are seeking legal action to reduce chloroprene emissions from the LaPlace plant, as well as punitive and medical compensation for maladies caused by the exposure to chloroprene.

The Class Action petition was filed into the 40th Judicial Court of St. John the Baptist Parish June 29.

A jury trial has been requested.

The defendants listed are Denka Performance Elastomer LLC and E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company.