When someone is trying to improve their health and when they are trying to support and protect the planet, there’s a common strategy in both cases: making little changes over time that add up to a large impact. It’s all about learning all the small habits or products that are holding you back from your goal and eliminating them one by one. Today, you’ll learn about one more of those products: chloroprene.
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Most people have never heard of chloroprene, but you have likely heard of neoprene. Neoprene is the trademark for a synthetic rubber that is used in a variety of products, though it’s best known as the material used in wetsuits.
Chloroprene is a chemical that is used in manufacturing neoprene. This is why neoprene is sometimes called chloroprene rubber.
Any time you see neoprene, chloroprene was used to make that product. As we noted, the best-known use of neoprene is in wetsuits. It’s also used for many other types of protective clothing like chemical-resistant boots and protective gloves (neoprene gloves or chloroprene gloves rather than warming or fashionable gloves).
Chloroprene can also be used in manufacturing certain footwear, athletic gear, and laminated to fabrics. It may also be in products that are used in construction, automotive, and machinery, especially in adhesives and caulks.
Chloroprene has been used in products that surround us in our daily lives since it was developed for use in the s by Dupont. Why should we be concerned about it?
A growing library of research has found a variety of risks and problems associated with chloroprene. There are issues on two fronts: health and the environment.
Let’s start with the health and safety risks of chloroprene. The largest issue is that repeated exposure over time to chloroprene emissions has been linked to liver problems, cardiovascular issues, and damage to the immune system. Chloroprene emissions, like those that are produced in manufacturing products with chloroprene, are associated with a risk of lung cancer and liver cancer.
Chloroprene can be problematic for the Earth as well. It is not readily biodegradable, so it contributes to the growing problem of garbage accumulation.
One of the top questions the EPA answers about chemicals is whether they pose a cancer risk. So, according to the EPA, does chloroprene cause cancer?
Most likely, yes. The EPA named chloroprene as a “likely carcinogen” in . This means that there is enough research to say that there is a significant chance that the chemical contributes to cancer, but not enough to say with 100% certainty that it is a “known carcinogen.”
There are two steps to any mission in self-improvement: knowing better and doing better. Now that you know the risks that chloroprene can pose, what can you do about it?
It’s important to note that the health risks of chloroprene have not been associated with using products that contain chloroprene. The exposure from using these products is minimal. The health risks primarily come from exposure to chloroprene emissions in the air. This means people at risk are those who work in facilities that manufacture chloroprene products and, potentially, people who live or spend a lot of time near these facilities.
With that said, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk chloroprene poses to you, other people, and the planet.
If you work in a manufacturing facility, you probably already know what chemicals are used and emitted in your facility. Many people don’t realize, though, that they may have a facility using chloroprene in their neighborhood.
Look for manufacturing facilities near your home, workplace, or other places you frequent. Find out if they use chloroprene. While there may be little you can do to reduce your exposure, being informed about your risk factors allows you to inform your doctor so they can watch for signs of problems.
The more demand there is for neoprene products, the more chloroprene will be used and emitted. When you choose products that use alternatives like natural rubber, you can lower the demand for neoprene. You’ll be doing your part to reduce the health risks from chloroprene emissions and to reduce chloroprene’s environmental impact.
Ready to start making some changes to protect your health and the environment? Learn more about alternatives to neoprene, especially if you’re part of a community that uses wetsuits or other neoprene products often.
Q: What is Chloroprene?
A: Chloroprene is a chemical used in the production of neoprene. Neoprene has a variety of uses, such as in wetsuits, gaskets, hoses, and adhesives. Chloroprene is classified as an likely carcinogen by several agencies, including EPA.
Q: Why was chloroprene determined to be a carcinogen?
A: In EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment – which identifies and characterizes the health hazards of chemicals found in the environment – identified chloroprene as a likely human carcinogen and provided a unit risk estimate (URE). A URE provides the upper-bound excess lifetime cancer risk estimated to result from continuous exposure to an agent at a concentration of 1 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) in air. The URE for chloroprene was used in the NATA.
Q: What is the difference between known and likely carcinogens?
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A: The EPA conducts assessments to determine the potential of chemicals to cause cancer to humans. All the data available for a chemical is analyzed following EPA’s cancer guidelines (published in ) and according to the strength of evidence, in descending order, chemicals can fall under the following general categories (also called hazard descriptors): carcinogenic to humans, likely to be carcinogenic to humans, suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential, inadequate information to assess carcinogenic potential, and not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. A classification of “known” carcinogen indicates that there is strong evidence that a chemical causes cancer in humans. A “likely” classification does not reach the level of strength of evidence as “known”, but there is sufficient evidence to conclude that a chemical is a suspect carcinogen to humans.
Q: What are the potential health effects of chloroprene?
A: Short term exposure to high concentrations can affect the nervous system (e.g., headache, irritability, dizziness), the heart (rapid heartbeats), gastrointestinal disorders, dermatitis, temporary hair loss, corneal damage. It may also affect the lung liver, kidneys and the immune system. Long term exposure to chloroprene has been reported to cause respiratory, eye and skin irritation, chest pains temporary hair loss, neurological symptoms (e.g., dizziness, insomnia, headaches) and fatigue in occupationally exposed workers. Effects in the cardiovascular system (rapid heartbeat, reduced blood pressure) and changes in blood cell parameters (red blood cells, hemoglobin content, white blood cells, and platelets) have also been reported in occupationally exposed workers. Long term exposure to chloroprene has also been associate with increase in the risk of developing cancer.
Q: Why wasn’t this facility identified in previous NATA assessments?
A: The IRIS assessment for chloroprene was completed in . While the previous NATA () was released in early , the analyses were completed in prior to the availability of the URE for chloroprene. At the time of the NATA, chloroprene did have a noncancer reference concentration – a measure of potency for pollutants with effects other than cancer – and that was used in the assessment.
Q: Does EPA have any regulations for chloroprene?
A: Chloroprene is used in the production of Neoprene, which is covered under EPA’s Polymers and Resins I source category. This source category went through a risk and technology review (RTR) in . No cancer risks were estimated at that time because chloroprene did not have a URE.
Q: Will EPA do another Risk and Technology Review (RTR) for the Polymers and Resins source category in light of the unit risk estimate (URE) for chloroprene?
A: In December , EPA completed its most recent risk and technology review for the relevant MACT standard (i.e., Group I Polymers and Resins (Neoprene Rubber Production). This MACT standard was originally established by EPA in September .
Q: What is EPA doing to address the issue of chloroprene in LaPlace, LA?
A: EPA, in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, launched a process to engage the community and local leaders in developing a plan to gather information that is important to addressing community concerns and useful to EPA as they evaluate possible actions and regulatory changes needed to protect public health and the environment.
EPA is coordinating closely with LDEQ. Together, we are requiring the facility to conduct emissions testing, perform additional ambient monitoring, and update modeling for a permit. EPA is committed to getting information on emissions as soon as possible. EPA supports LDEQ setting an enforceable schedule to make the needed changes to the facility. EPA has its own authorities and will do what it believes is necessary to protect human health. We are also working with community leaders and members to understand and respond to their concerns.
Q: What is NATA?
A: The National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) is a screening tool that identifies areas for further analysis to protect Americans from potential health risks. NATA uses estimates of emissions and computer models to approximate risks; it is not designed to determine actual health risks to individual people. Emissions data underlying the assessment can vary in level of detail from state to state. For example, one state that reports very detailed emissions data could appear to have higher risks than a state that reports a less complete inventory. In this case, a comparison would not be accurate.
Q: What data are available via NATA App?
A: The NATA Map App contains visual representation of the NATA results and allows the querying and downloading of data in map and tabular formats. Available information in the map app include:
Q: How long has the manufacture of chloroprene at the Denka (formerly DuPont) facility been going on?
A: The Denka (formerly DuPont) La Place facility has been operating for many years. It is currently owned by Denka Performance Elastomers, LLC and was previously owned by DuPont. Historical reporting by the facility show chloroprene emission levels for many years ( to shown).
Not included above, TRI reports , and chloroprene emissions from this facility were: 479 tpy, 486 tpy, and 461 tpy, respectively.
Q: What is the facility allowed to emit under its Clean Air Act permit?
A: The Louisiana Deportment of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is the air quality permitting authority. LDEQ permit documents can be found on LDEQ’s Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) at https://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/querydef.aspx.
Q: What are the highest NATA cancer risk areas in the USA?
A: The top 5 census tracts with the highest NATA-estimated cancer risks nationally are in Louisiana due to Denka (formerly DuPont) chloroprene emissions.