Schneider Responds to EPA’s New Ethylene Oxide Rule

In response to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) release of its final rule on certain uses of ethylene oxide (EtO), and as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force, U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement:

"This final rule represents progress: the EPA is now actively regulating EtO in official acknowledgement of the public health risk this chemical poses and in line with the 2016 IRIS determination on cancer risks," said Schneider. "But this week's announcement still falls short of a fully adequate response to the dangers posed by ethylene oxide. Our communities need air monitoring to ensure the safety of the air we breathe – anything less is yet another half-measure from an Administration that continues to drag its feet addressing this threat."

On May 29, the EPA released its Final Rule for amendments related to EtO within the Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Manufacturing (MON) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). The final MON rule represents one of two important EPA rules related to EtO, the second being related to its use as a sterilizer for medical devices.

Last November, Schneider founded the bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force with his Republican colleague Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10). The Task Force's eleven members have met with the EPA, industry stakeholders, and environmental health groups to discuss their concerns about EtO. The Task Force also sent a letter to EPA to serve comment on the MON rule, calling on the EPA to not undermine the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) that in December 2016 determined EtO to be a known carcinogen. The EPA's final MON rule relies on the 2016 determination, inline with the Task Force's request. The Task Force also called on the EPA to make air monitoring central to the rulemaking process, something the agency has refused to do.

Schneider has been a national leader on more strictly regulating EtO. Two facilities in the Illinois Tenth District were identified as EtO emitters by the EPA's National Air Toxic Assessment following the agency's 2016 determination that EtO was a known carcinogen. Since then, Schneider has met with EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler multiple times to press the EPA to more strictly regulate the carcinogen. Schneider has also introduced legislation to that effect and has secured appropriations towards ambient air monitoring of EtO.