"Just three years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that St. John the Baptist Parish had the highest cancer risk from airborne pollutants of any similar jurisdiction nationwide because of the “likely carcinogen” chloroprene, resulting in controversy and a federal lawsuit aimed at a local chemical plant.

Now, there’s more sobering news for residents in the River Parishes: Another, potentially more toxic chemical called ethylene oxide has likely been released into the air in excessive amounts, according to the most recent National Air Toxics Assessment, an EPA report released once every three years.

Ethylene oxide — a chemical the EPA says is a proven carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent, for humans — is produced throughout the United States but is put out in disproportionately high amounts in St. Charles Parish, where scientists say residents in one census tract face the highest risk in the country of developing lymphoid or breast cancers from it."

Della Hasselle and Nick Reimann report for the New Orleans Advocate September 29, 2018. [2]