Sterigenics Makes It Official: It's Finished In Willowbrook

DARIEN, IL — The chances were small that Sterigenics would ever reopen its plants in Willowbrook. Late last month, the company foreclosed virtually any possibility of that happening. In a letter to Illinois regulators, the company withdrew all of its permit applications. Sterigenic had already begun the plants' decommissioning.

A few years ago, it became publicly known that Sterigenics was emitting ethylene oxide, which is believed to cause cancer. This situation alarmed residents in Willowbrook, Darien, Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Western Springs and other towns.

On July 24, Sterigenics informed the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency it was withdrawing its permit applications for the Willowbrook plants. Sterigenics has denied claims it caused people's cancer. It makes a commercial sterilizer that uses ethylene oxide to sterilize medical equipment, according to the U.S. EPA.

Sen. John Curran, R-Woodridge, said Sterigenics' withdrawal formalizes the closure.

"Thank you to everyone who fought for clean air and to rid our community of this dangerous carcinogen," he said in a Facebook post.

At this week's Darien City Council meeting, Mayor Joseph Marchese hailed the good news, saying he hoped it was the end.

"I am proud of the efforts of this city and all the individuals who worked so diligently on this issue, the Stop Sterigenics group included," the mayor said. "Our actions are a demonstration of how communities working together with one another can better serve the needs of all of our residents."

A number of people in the audience applauded.

In December, six retired Hinsdale South High School teachers sued the owners of the nearby Sterigenics plants. The teachers' lawyer said the company knew about the dangers of emitting ethylene oxide even before it opened the plant's doors in 1984.

The school in Darien is three-quarters of a mile away from a Sterigenics plant, which the state closed in 2019.