Schneider, Hice Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Ethylene Oxide Standards and Protect Public Health

WASHINGTON – Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Representative Jody Hice (GA-10), co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Ethylene Oxide, introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions standards to reflect the stricter criteria outlined in a 2016 EPA study.  

This legislation would require that any updates to the emissions standards incorporate the maximum achievable control technology requirements to exhaust vents and apply to both area and major sources, which covers plants like Sterigenics in Willowbrook, Illinois, Medline in Waukegan, Illinois, and Vantage in Gurnee, Illinois.  It would also require EPA to undergo a residual risk assessment following implementation of the new rule to assess the impact on public health.

"After years of the Trump Administration ignoring the EtO problem, the EPA needs to urgently take all necessary and appropriate steps to protect our communities from the risks of exposure to ethylene oxide – a known carcinogen. Our legislation would require the EPA to immediately update its ethylene oxide emission standards based on the science and guided by public health, as well as act transparently so affected communities have the most up to date information on any risks. This is about our public health, and delay is unacceptable," said Schneider.

"I am proud to once again be co-sponsoring this important legislation. The safety of the constituents of Georgia's 10th congressional district will always be my top priority, and this bill will keep the EPA accountable and help protect our communities," said Hice.

In April, the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report detailing how Trump Administration political appointees hindered EPA Region 5's efforts to monitor and address EtO emissions in Illinois.  Durbin, Duckworth, and U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) requested this investigation in November 2018.  According to the report, the appointees instructed managers and career staff at EPA Region 5 to not inspect EtO-emitting facilities unless invited to do so by the state.  The report also revealed that Trump's EPA delayed communicating potential health risks to Illinois residents who lived near EtO-emitting facilities, including those in Willowbrook, Waukegan, and Gurnee. In a later report released in May, the OIG recommended EPA conduct a residual risk review—the same process that would be required by this legislation—to ensure that public health is central to all future EtO-related rulemaking.

Last Congress, Schneider and Hice founded the bipartisan Congressional EtO Task Force with members from Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Lousiana. The Task Force advocates for stricter regulation of EtO to protect public health.

EtO is a chemical sterilizer used most often to sterilize medical devices. A 2016 EPA IRIS study confirmed that EtO was more carcinogenic than originally thought and indicated a connection between EtO exposure and the development of some cancers.

Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

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