Bill Introduced After Report Of Willowbrook Company's Emissions

WILLOWBROOK, IL — New legislation has been introduced in response to a recent report which stated an elevated cancer risk could be a result of ethylene oxide emissions from a Sterigenics International Inc. facility in Willowbrook. According to a release, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin introduced the legislation Friday, which would temporarily cease industrial operations that emit toxins into the atmosphere.

Several local leaders are also calling for operations at the facility to cease, until further study can be done.

A letter was sent to the company on Friday, which was signed by state, local and municipal officials and it states that it is “imperative that the community be assured that Sterigenics is acting as a good corporate citizen and are taking all steps necessary to protect those who are potentially impacted by the emissions of ethylene oxide from their facility.”

House Bill 5952 would amend the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to require facilities emitting ethylene oxide emissions higher than the standards set forth by either state or federal EPA regulations to cease operations until sufficient changes can be made to reduce the level of emissions below those standards, according to the release.

“The safety of our residents and those in the community will always be our utmost priority as legislators for this district,” Durkin said in a release. “We must send a strong message that there is no acceptable level of risk. Sterigenics must make sure ethylene oxide emissions levels are below the standards of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency otherwise they are not welcome in our state.”

State Sen. John Curran is also calling for Sterigenics International, Inc. to cease operations until further testing is completed.

“Recent news reports and discussions at a town meeting this past week have many people, myself included, greatly concerned about the safe operation of the Sterigenics facility. New research from the USEPA indicates that ethylene oxide is far more dangerous to the public than previously believed,” said Curran. “Given the new revelations about the dangers of ethylene oxide, I join with those encouraging Sterigenics to cease operations at the Willowbrook facility until further testing is done.”

Curran said the letter sent Friday is just a first step in addressing the concerns residents have about this facility.

“Next week I intend to file legislation in the Illinois Senate that will create new notification protocols that will alert surrounding property owners of an air emission leak, reopen the company’s current air permit for additional public comment and expand the public comment period for any future permit renewals.”

In a report from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which is a division of the CDC, the agency evaluated potential health impacts for Ethylene Oxide emissions. According to the report, Sterigenics International Inc. uses ethylene oxide to sterilize medical equipment and other products.

In the report, ATSDR recommends that Sterigenics take immediate action to reduce EtO emissions and should initiate long-term air monitoring. It was also recommended that the Illinois Department of Public Health investigate whether there are elevated cases of cancer in the population near the facility.

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