Schneider Presses U.S. EPA to Issue Ethylene Oxide Regulations in Meeting with Administrator Wheeler
Schneider personally invited Wheeler to meet with newly-formed bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force
On Wednesday, Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and pressed the Administrator about the U.S. EPA's responsibilities to inform the public about the dangers of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions and the need to urgently pass new, stricter regulations of the chemical. Schneider met with Wheeler as a part of an Illinois delegation meeting on EtO organized by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).
Schneider also personally invited Wheeler to meet with the bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force, which he recently formed with Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA), to discuss the need for U.S. EPA to conduct public outreach on EtO. Schneider hand-delivered to Wheeler a letter signed by all 11 members of the bipartisan task force setting a deadline of February 28, 2020 to issue its proposed regulations on EtO.
"Our community has waited for too long while U.S. EPA continues to drag its feet on properly regulating ethylene oxide," said Schneider. "Today, I invited Administrator Wheeler to meet with our bipartisan Congressional EtO Task Force so he can hear from those of us who represent communities across the country about how the U.S. EPA's silence is affecting our constituents. We also gave the U.S. EPA a firm deadline for issuing new EtO regulations – these new rules are long overdue and there is zero reason for further delay."
PHOTO: Rep. Brad Schneider, Sen. Dick Durbin, and other members of the Illinois congressional delegation meet with U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on December 18, 2019.
The bipartisan task force supports legislative efforts like H.R. 1152, introduced by Schneider, which would require U.S. EPA to issue new, strict EtO emissions standards for medical sterilization and chemical facilities and require the U.S. EPA to notify the public no more than 30 days after it learns that the new standards have been violated. A majority of task force members are co-sponsors of the legislation.
Members of the Ethylene Oxide Task Force represent half a dozen communities from four states affected by EtO and include: co-chairs Brad Schneider and Jody Hice, as well as Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), David Scott (D-GA-13), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Susan Wild (D-PA-07), and Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02).
Background:
Ethylene oxide is an industrial chemical used to sterilize medical equipment and manufacture products such as anti-freeze. In 2016, the EPA listed EtO as a known carcinogen, however the agency has yet to release a rule regulating the use of the chemical by medical sterilizers, nor has the agency engaged with communities affected by EtO emissions. This inaction has created public concern in communities surrounding facilities that use EtO, including sites in Waukegan and Gurnee in the 10th Congressional District (Schneider).