WASHINGTON, DC – Today, EPA took a small but positive step toward protecting communities across America from the harmful impacts of ethylene oxide, a potent carcinogen, by announcing reinvigorated efforts to notify and consult communities near 23 facilities releasing toxic ethylene oxide emissions.
Ethylene oxide is widely used by medical sterilization facilities across the country. Exposure to ethylene oxide emissions to workers and those who live near sterilization facilities can cause a variety of life-threatening health impacts, including breast cancer, leukemia, and nervous system damage. In today’s announcement, EPA reported elevated cancer risks for 23 facilities in 14 U.S. states and territories.
In response, Jane Williams, of Sierra Club’s Clean Air team, released the following statement:
“While EPA’s efforts to identify high-risk sterilization facilities and inform the public about the facilities’ risks to communities’ health is to be applauded, today’s announcement reiterates what we already knew–fenceline communities and workers are overwhelmingly and disproportionately burdened with exposure to toxic chemicals like ethylene oxide.
“We have no doubt EPA Administrator Regan’s outreach to impacted communities will help communities and workers, but in order to fully protect public health from exposure to this carcinogenic chemical and achieve true environmental justice, EPA must require fenceline monitoring and meaningful pollution reduction for sterilization facilities immediately.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.