Latest news with #Neoprene
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Walden Pond's makeover: Renovations bring accessibility to Thoreau's haven
'We risk loving that pond to death, but at the same time we are more aware of how we can harm it,' Stager said. Advertisement Construction at Walden Pond. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Walden Pond is a The pond won't be completely inaccessible this summer: visitors can still enjoy Red Cross Beach an unguarded swimming area. Advertisement For the renovation, the two-story bathhouse from 1947 will be replaced by a one-story 'net-zero' structure, with three added family restrooms. There will also be native plantings added to the pond's east bank to improve erosion, according to Nathaniel Tipton, DCR project manager. Walden Pond has struggled with changing water levels and heavy foot traffic from nearby hiking trails for years. During the renovations, 190 trees and 7,000 shrubs, plants and herbaceous plugs will be planted for runoff control. DCR also plans to use some of the cut-down pine and red oak wood to construct the site. At Walden Pond, a couple makes ripples in the water. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Along with mitigating erosion, Tipton said that the replanting will protect the slope between the bathhouse and the nearby boat ramp. These efforts will help preserve the pond, since storm waters carrying pollutants will be absorbed by the ground before reaching the water. 'The purpose of this project is to create an accessible and sustainable facility that people of all abilities will be able to use for years to come,' a DCR spokesperson said. Frank Formica, 64, from Woburn, laid on top of a thin towel on the rocky shore of Red Cross Beach on Wednesday after a long sunny swim in Walden Pond. Wearing a Neoprene shirt, he overlooked the water with a bright blue cane and a shiny red mobility bike by his side. Formica, who is handicapped and has been going to Walden since the '70s, knows the struggles of walking down the sloped path to the beach area all too well. He has been diagnosed with cancer four times, and has a severe spinal injury. He is happy with the renovations, which should improve disability and emergency service access. Advertisement 'This pond has healing qualities,' Formica said. Lorena Lorenzo, from Hanscom Air Force Base, said that she is happy with the modernization of the beach access. 'I'm always inside a building,' said Lorenzo, who is a registered nurse and was looking for a mommy-daughter date with her young daughter. 'I just like to be connecting to nature.' David Backer, who visits the pond with his wife and granddaughter, said he is looking forward to the renovations, and that the pond should stay as open and accessible as possible. Backer ran the summer Environmental Science Program in Newton for 18 years, and would encourage teenagers to visit Walden. At Walden Pond, people line the shore at the water's edge. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff 'A lot of the kids were indoor kids. A lot of screen time. And so they had to be kind of coerced to get into the program. But by the end of the program, they were already talking about coming back, because they understood and they appreciated the outdoors,' Backer said. Despite the loud excavators and fencing, visitors from all over New England will continue to search for their own version of tranquility at Walden, even if this summer is a little noisier than usual. Maria Probert can be reached at
14-05-2025
- Business
Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations
NEW ORLEANS -- A petrochemical plant in Louisiana accused of increasing cancer risks for a majority Black community indefinitely suspended operations largely due to the high cost of reducing toxic pollution. Japanese firm Denka announced Tuesday that its synthetic rubber facility hemorrhaged more than $109 million in the past year. The company cited weakening demand, staffing challenges and rising costs as reasons why 'improving profitability in the near term would be difficult.' Denka also attributed much of its financial woes to what it has described as 'unfair and targeted' pollution control measures. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency sought to rein in dangerous chemical emissions from hundreds of facilities including Denka's. The Biden administration's environmental justice campaign spotlighted Denka's plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. Under the Trump administration, the EPA withdrew a federal lawsuit against Denka alleging it exposed a predominantly Black population to unacceptable cancer risk — the highest nationwide — from the facility's emissions of chloroprene. Last year, officials shut down a nearby elementary school due to concerns about emissions exposure. 'I am elated that we are waking up every day now with no chloroprene in our air,' said Tish Taylor, a local environmental activist. She added that she was under no illusion that the company was concerned about its impact on her community's health: 'The petrochemical industry around us doesn't care about human beings. They care about their bottom line.' Denka produces Neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits, laptop sleeves and other common products. In suspending operations, Denka cited the 'significant cost' of 'pollution control equipment to reduce chloroprene emissions,' which the company said it 'did not anticipate' when it purchased the facility from DuPont in 2015. The company also cited 'a shortage of qualified staff necessary to operate new pollution control equipment and implement other emission reduction measures.' In court filings last year, Denka said it had spent more than $35 million on equipment to reduce emissions by 85% since 2017. But harmful emissions consistently remained higher than federal guidelines. Denka said it remains 'deeply grateful' to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the company last year as it fought an EPA rule mandating the facility swiftly reduce chloroprene emissions. While the Trump administration has pledged to rewrite this policy, the company noted the outcome remains uncertain. Denka said it is working with Landry's administration to consider 'all options,' including 'a potential sale of the business or its assets.' But no decision had been made regarding a 'permanent closure' of the facility or 'workforce reductions.' Landry did not respond to a request for comment. Denka said it 'faces a sustained slowdown in the global market demand for Neoprene, along with increases in energy prices, raw materials, and repair work that have been exacerbated by inflation.' The company's statement noted 'rising energy costs,' 'weakening global economic environment for chloroprene' and 'supply chain disruptions" as other factors. The Denka facility needed large amounts of chlorine to produce chloroprene, said George Eisenhauer, an analyst with commodities consulting company Argus Media. It costs more than twice as much to purchase and import chlorine into the U.S. as it does in other leading chloroprene production sites like Europe, Japan and China, he said. The costs rose over the past few years after a major U.S. chlorine producer shut down, Eisenhauer added. Trump's tariff policies have not significantly affected the price because chlorine is typically imported into the U.S. through Mexico or Canada. Denka's facility is in the 85-mile (137-kilometer) stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor and commonly referred to by environmental groups as 'Cancer Alley.' Robert Taylor, 84, and other environmental activists warily celebrated Denka's announcement. Taylor, who lives near the facility, pushed for stronger environmental regulations, only to watch the Trump administration roll them back. 'They have given these guys all the protection they need from advocacy groups like mine,' he said, referring to the Trump administration. 'So that's why I am a bit puzzled by the action they (Denka) are taking now.' He wondered whether the company would eventually resume operations or sell the plant to a company that could restart production. 'I think the community needs to be on guard and be prepared to continue our advocacy for our clean air and safe environment.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A petrochemical plant in Louisiana accused of increasing cancer risks for a majority Black community indefinitely suspended operations largely due to the high cost of reducing toxic pollution. Japanese firm Denka announced Tuesday that its synthetic rubber facility hemorrhaged more than $109 million in the past year. The company cited weakening demand, staffing challenges and rising costs as reasons why 'improving profitability in the near term would be difficult.' Denka also attributed much of its financial woes to what it has described as 'unfair and targeted' pollution control measures. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency sought to rein in dangerous chemical emissions from hundreds of facilities including Denka's. The Biden administration's environmental justice campaign spotlighted Denka's plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. Under the Trump administration, the EPA withdrew a federal lawsuit against Denka alleging it exposed a predominantly Black population to unacceptable cancer risk — the highest nationwide — from the facility's emissions of chloroprene. Last year, officials shut down a nearby elementary school due to concerns about emissions exposure. 'I am elated that we are waking up every day now with no chloroprene in our air,' said Tish Taylor, a local environmental activist. She added that she was under no illusion that the company was concerned about its impact on her community's health: 'The petrochemical industry around us doesn't care about human beings. They care about their bottom line.' The cost to reduce pollution Denka produces Neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits, laptop sleeves and other common products. In suspending operations, Denka cited the 'significant cost' of 'pollution control equipment to reduce chloroprene emissions,' which the company said it 'did not anticipate' when it purchased the facility from DuPont in 2015. The company also cited 'a shortage of qualified staff necessary to operate new pollution control equipment and implement other emission reduction measures.' In court filings last year, Denka said it had spent more than $35 million on equipment to reduce emissions by 85% since 2017. But harmful emissions consistently remained higher than federal guidelines. Denka said it remains 'deeply grateful' to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the company last year as it fought an EPA rule mandating the facility swiftly reduce chloroprene emissions. While the Trump administration has pledged to rewrite this policy, the company noted the outcome remains uncertain. Denka said it is working with Landry's administration to consider 'all options,' including 'a potential sale of the business or its assets.' But no decision had been made regarding a 'permanent closure' of the facility or 'workforce reductions.' Landry did not respond to a request for comment. A market 'slowdown' Denka said it 'faces a sustained slowdown in the global market demand for Neoprene, along with increases in energy prices, raw materials, and repair work that have been exacerbated by inflation.' The company's statement noted 'rising energy costs,' 'weakening global economic environment for chloroprene' and 'supply chain disruptions" as other factors. The Denka facility needed large amounts of chlorine to produce chloroprene, said George Eisenhauer, an analyst with commodities consulting company Argus Media. It costs more than twice as much to purchase and import chlorine into the U.S. as it does in other leading chloroprene production sites like Europe, Japan and China, he said. The costs rose over the past few years after a major U.S. chlorine producer shut down, Eisenhauer added. Trump's tariff policies have not significantly affected the price because chlorine is typically imported into the U.S. through Mexico or Canada. Local activists remain wary Denka's facility is in the 85-mile (137-kilometer) stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor and commonly referred to by environmental groups as 'Cancer Alley.' Robert Taylor, 84, and other environmental activists warily celebrated Denka's announcement. Taylor, who lives near the facility, pushed for stronger environmental regulations, only to watch the Trump administration roll them back. 'They have given these guys all the protection they need from advocacy groups like mine,' he said, referring to the Trump administration. 'So that's why I am a bit puzzled by the action they (Denka) are taking now.' He wondered whether the company would eventually resume operations or sell the plant to a company that could restart production. 'I think the community needs to be on guard and be prepared to continue our advocacy for our clean air and safe environment.' ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
The Hill
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A petrochemical plant in Louisiana accused of increasing cancer risks for a majority Black community indefinitely suspended operations largely due to the high cost of reducing toxic pollution. Japanese firm Denka announced Tuesday that its synthetic rubber facility hemorrhaged more than $109 million in the past year. The company cited weakening demand, staffing challenges and rising costs as reasons why 'improving profitability in the near term would be difficult.' Denka also attributed much of its financial woes to what it has described as 'unfair and targeted' pollution control measures. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency sought to rein in dangerous chemical emissions from hundreds of facilities including Denka's. The Biden administration's environmental justice campaign spotlighted Denka's plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. Under the Trump administration, the EPA withdrew a federal lawsuit against Denka alleging it exposed a predominantly Black population to unacceptable cancer risk — the highest nationwide — from the facility's emissions of chloroprene. Last year, officials shut down a nearby elementary school due to concerns about emissions exposure. 'I am elated that we are waking up every day now with no chloroprene in our air,' said Tish Taylor, a local environmental activist. She added that she was under no illusion that the company was concerned about its impact on her community's health: 'The petrochemical industry around us doesn't care about human beings. They care about their bottom line.' Denka produces Neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits, laptop sleeves and other common products. In suspending operations, Denka cited the 'significant cost' of 'pollution control equipment to reduce chloroprene emissions,' which the company said it 'did not anticipate' when it purchased the facility from DuPont in 2015. The company also cited 'a shortage of qualified staff necessary to operate new pollution control equipment and implement other emission reduction measures.' In court filings last year, Denka said it had spent more than $35 million on equipment to reduce emissions by 85% since 2017. But harmful emissions consistently remained higher than federal guidelines. Denka said it remains 'deeply grateful' to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the company last year as it fought an EPA rule mandating the facility swiftly reduce chloroprene emissions. While the Trump administration has pledged to rewrite this policy, the company noted the outcome remains uncertain. Denka said it is working with Landry's administration to consider 'all options,' including 'a potential sale of the business or its assets.' But no decision had been made regarding a 'permanent closure' of the facility or 'workforce reductions.' Landry did not respond to a request for comment. Denka said it 'faces a sustained slowdown in the global market demand for Neoprene, along with increases in energy prices, raw materials, and repair work that have been exacerbated by inflation.' The company's statement noted 'rising energy costs,' 'weakening global economic environment for chloroprene' and 'supply chain disruptions' as other factors. The Denka facility needed large amounts of chlorine to produce chloroprene, said George Eisenhauer, an analyst with commodities consulting company Argus Media. It costs more than twice as much to purchase and import chlorine into the U.S. as it does in other leading chloroprene production sites like Europe, Japan and China, he said. The costs rose over the past few years after a major U.S. chlorine producer shut down, Eisenhauer added. Trump's tariff policies have not significantly affected the price because chlorine is typically imported into the U.S. through Mexico or Canada. Denka's facility is in the 85-mile (137-kilometer) stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor and commonly referred to by environmental groups as 'Cancer Alley.' Robert Taylor, 84, and other environmental activists warily celebrated Denka's announcement. Taylor, who lives near the facility, pushed for stronger environmental regulations, only to watch the Trump administration roll them back. 'They have given these guys all the protection they need from advocacy groups like mine,' he said, referring to the Trump administration. 'So that's why I am a bit puzzled by the action they (Denka) are taking now.' He wondered whether the company would eventually resume operations or sell the plant to a company that could restart production. 'I think the community needs to be on guard and be prepared to continue our advocacy for our clean air and safe environment.' ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Winnipeg Free Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A petrochemical plant in Louisiana accused of increasing cancer risks for a majority Black community indefinitely suspended operations largely due to the high cost of reducing toxic pollution. Japanese firm Denka announced Tuesday that its synthetic rubber facility hemorrhaged more than $109 million in the past year. The company cited weakening demand, staffing challenges and rising costs as reasons why 'improving profitability in the near term would be difficult.' Denka also attributed much of its financial woes to what it has described as 'unfair and targeted' pollution control measures. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency sought to rein in dangerous chemical emissions from hundreds of facilities including Denka's. The Biden administration's environmental justice campaign spotlighted Denka's plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. Under the Trump administration, the EPA withdrew a federal lawsuit against Denka alleging it exposed a predominantly Black population to unacceptable cancer risk — the highest nationwide — from the facility's emissions of chloroprene. Last year, officials shut down a nearby elementary school due to concerns about emissions exposure. 'I am elated that we are waking up every day now with no chloroprene in our air,' said Tish Taylor, a local environmental activist. She added that she was under no illusion that the company was concerned about its impact on her community's health: 'The petrochemical industry around us doesn't care about human beings. They care about their bottom line.' The cost to reduce pollution Denka produces Neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits, laptop sleeves and other common products. In suspending operations, Denka cited the 'significant cost' of 'pollution control equipment to reduce chloroprene emissions,' which the company said it 'did not anticipate' when it purchased the facility from DuPont in 2015. The company also cited 'a shortage of qualified staff necessary to operate new pollution control equipment and implement other emission reduction measures.' In court filings last year, Denka said it had spent more than $35 million on equipment to reduce emissions by 85% since 2017. But harmful emissions consistently remained higher than federal guidelines. Denka said it remains 'deeply grateful' to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the company last year as it fought an EPA rule mandating the facility swiftly reduce chloroprene emissions. While the Trump administration has pledged to rewrite this policy, the company noted the outcome remains uncertain. Denka said it is working with Landry's administration to consider 'all options,' including 'a potential sale of the business or its assets.' But no decision had been made regarding a 'permanent closure' of the facility or 'workforce reductions.' Landry did not respond to a request for comment. A market 'slowdown' Denka said it 'faces a sustained slowdown in the global market demand for Neoprene, along with increases in energy prices, raw materials, and repair work that have been exacerbated by inflation.' The company's statement noted 'rising energy costs,' 'weakening global economic environment for chloroprene' and 'supply chain disruptions' as other factors. The Denka facility needed large amounts of chlorine to produce chloroprene, said George Eisenhauer, an analyst with commodities consulting company Argus Media. It costs more than twice as much to purchase and import chlorine into the U.S. as it does in other leading chloroprene production sites like Europe, Japan and China, he said. The costs rose over the past few years after a major U.S. chlorine producer shut down, Eisenhauer added. Trump's tariff policies have not significantly affected the price because chlorine is typically imported into the U.S. through Mexico or Canada. Local activists remain wary Denka's facility is in the 85-mile (137-kilometer) stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor and commonly referred to by environmental groups as 'Cancer Alley.' Robert Taylor, 84, and other environmental activists warily celebrated Denka's announcement. Taylor, who lives near the facility, pushed for stronger environmental regulations, only to watch the Trump administration roll them back. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'They have given these guys all the protection they need from advocacy groups like mine,' he said, referring to the Trump administration. 'So that's why I am a bit puzzled by the action they (Denka) are taking now.' He wondered whether the company would eventually resume operations or sell the plant to a company that could restart production. 'I think the community needs to be on guard and be prepared to continue our advocacy for our clean air and safe environment.' ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
