‘They … Litigate While They Continue to Poison Us’: DuPont Ordered To Pay $480,000 Fine and Stop Emitting Cancer-Causing Chemical In Predominately Black Community In Louisiana

Chemical manufacturer DuPont has agreed to pay a $480,000 federal fine and to remediate its plant in LaPlace, Louisiana to stop the release of benzene, a highly evaporative liquid chemical known to cause cancer. A consent agreement and final order outlining the settlement between DuPont and the Environmental Protection Agency was filed on Sept. 25, reported The Advocate. The EPA sued DuPont after it found high levels of benzene in the air that surpassed permitted federal levels during two surprise inspections of the plant in April 2022. Chemical plant (Credit: Stock photo/Getty) Brief exposure to benzene at lower levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches and rapid heart rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excessive exposure to benzene can be harmful to the immune system and lower the body’s defense against cancer. Long-term exposure can cause leukemia, a cancer of the blood-forming organs. Federal law requires industries storing benzene in tanks to have no detectible emissions, which equates to readings of less than 500 parts per million (ppm). The EPA measured 20,100 ppm streaming from a vent on a DuPont waste tank, 1933 ppm of benzene leaking from a pressure valve, and 542 ppm from another line...