House Passes Schneider Amendment to Fund EPA Outreach in Communities Affected by Ethylene Oxide Emissions

Today, an amendment authored by U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) to fund public outreach activities by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in communities affected by ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The amendment was included in H.R. 3055, and a vote on passage of this larger appropriations package is expected Friday.

Ethylene oxide is an industrial chemical used to sterilize medical equipment and manufacture products like anti-freeze. In 2016, the EPA listed EtO as a known carcinogen. Dozens of facilities around the country – including two in Waukegan and Gurnee – use the chemical. Lake County, the City of Waukegan, and the Village of Gurnee have jointly undertaken an ambient air monitoring program to determine the level of emissions in the community. Despite significant levels of concern in the community about emissions, the U.S. EPA has not held a public information forum to answer questions from the public, as they did in DuPage County.

"The EPA has left dozens of communities around the country, including my constituents, in the dark. These are localities that we know face high EtO levels, yet the EPA refuses to hold public forums to answer our community's urgent questions," said Schneider in testimony to the Rules Committee in support of his amendment.

"Every American should have confidence in the safety of the air that they and their families breathe. The EPA needs to do its job and engage with communities where that assurance is under threat. This amendment would set aside $25,000 for EPA public engagement on ethylene oxide to communities identified in the National Air Toxic Assessment to face dangerous emissions levels of this known carcinogen. This is a small sum, but one that would have a big effect on the families living in these communities," concluded Schneider.