United States: EPA Finalizes Denka RCRA Settlement for Chloroprene Waste
EPA finalized a $996,703 RCRA settlement with Denka’s LaPlace, Louisiana facility to require cleanup of chloroprene residual waste and enforce restart controls.
U.S. EPA announced it has finalized a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) enforcement settlement with Denka Performance Elastomer over alleged hazardous-waste mishandling tied to chloroprene waste management at the company’s LaPlace, Louisiana facility. EPA describes the site as currently not operational, but the settlement adds cleanup requirements, a civil penalty, and detailed compliance controls if the facility ever restarts.
EPA says the settlement was finalized June 23, 2026 and publicly announced on July 2, 2026, with the agency’s related webpage last updated July 15, 2026.
What EPA finalized (and what changed this week)
This is a final administrative settlement resolution under RCRA, not a proposal. In its July 2 announcement, EPA said the agreement “comprehensively resolves” alleged RCRA violations involving chloroprene waste management.
Among the core terms, EPA’s enforcement documents say Denka must (1) remove and certify cleanup of residual waste in an outside, open-air brine pit and related/ancillary equipment, (2) pay a $996,703 civil penalty, and (3) comply with RCRA disposal requirements for waste generated during the cleanup process.
What EPA says Denka got wrong under RCRA
EPA’s stated RCRA allegations focus on hazardous-waste decision-making and handling. According to EPA’s release and enforcement summary, the alleged issues include failure to properly make hazardous-waste determinations, mishandling chloroprene-containing waste, and improper handling/treatment/disposal pathways that EPA says were not authorized as required.
EPA also points to a longer enforcement history involving chloroprene-related compliance issues tied to earlier regulatory actions, including the 2022 consent agreement that set a baseline for specific brine-pit requirements.
Cleanup and cost: penalty plus required waste removal
EPA’s settlement summary states Denka must conduct and certify a clean-out and remove residual liquid and solid waste in the outside brine pit and ancillary equipment.
EPA also says Denka will pay a $996,703 civil penalty. EPA further describes termination of the settlement obligations after Denka certifies compliance, subject to EPA approval.
If operations resume: the specific restart compliance controls
EPA says Denka suspended operations in May 2025 and that there is currently no chloroprene inventory onsite. Still, the settlement is written to govern a potential future restart.
If Denka resumes operations, EPA’s settlement documents say Denka must, among other steps:
- Maintain inventory and tracking of solid-waste streams for proper hazardous-waste determinations.
- Update permits for newly identified waste codes and associated units.
- Upgrade waste handling areas and equipment.
- Certify tank integrity.
- Store and treat waste in compliant containers and under appropriate conditions.
- Ensure worker training and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Transport and dispose of waste under hazardous-waste program requirements.
The practical takeaway for communities and workers: EPA’s settlement is designed to prevent the specific compliance breakdowns EPA described by requiring enforceable documentation, containment/infrastructure controls, and hazardous-waste handling and disposal safeguards if operations ever restart.
How this follows the 2022 consent agreement
EPA says the June 2026 settlement follows a December 28, 2022 consent agreement and final order. In the 2022 order, EPA required Denka to come into RCRA compliance for “Poly Kettle Strainer Waste,” including a requirement to stop placing that waste stream into an open-air brine pit starting January 31, 2023, along with worker protective equipment requirements tied to handling the waste.
What to watch next
The next accountability checkpoint is whether Denka completes the brine-pit clean-out/removal and then submits the required certification of compliance that EPA says is necessary for the settlement to terminate—subject to EPA approval.
If the facility remains shut, the near-term impact is cleanup verification and enforcement follow-through. If operations restart, the settlement’s detailed controls become the key document to track.
Industry coverage also characterized the agreement as a nearly $1 million-level federal resolution tied to hazardous waste mishandling at the LaPlace facility.
Sources
- U.S. EPA news release (Final settlement announced July 2, 2026; last updated July 15, 2026)
- Chemical Processing coverage of the settlement (EPA fines Denka about $1M)
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