The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has notified 23 commercial sterilizers—19 in the continental U.S. and four in Puerto Rico—that their operations pose an elevated risk of cancer and other ailments. The EPA stated that Laredo, Texas, Ardmore, and Oklahoma are the communities facing the highest risk of ethylene oxide (EO) emissions. The notice was issued after a recent survey of emission data from almost 100 commercial sterilizers across the nation.

The EPA stated that while short-term or infrequent exposure to ethylene oxide does not appear to pose a health risk, long-term or lifetime exposure to the chemical could lead to a variety of health impacts, including lymphoma and breast cancer. Mr. Michael Regan, EPA administrator stated that the agency is taking action to ensure communities are informed and engaged in their efforts to address ethylene oxide, a potent air toxic posing serious health risks on long-term exposure. Most residents of Laredo, one of the communities targeted by the EPA notice, are Latino, and nearly 70,000 schoolchildren attend school in areas with an elevated risk of cancer due to ethylene oxide emissions from the Midwest plant.

According to EPA officials, ethylene oxide has been used for decades by the health care community to sterilize a wide variety of medical devices and equipment. The agency added that chemical sterilization is a critical function that ensures a safe supply of medical devices for patients and hospitals. The agency also stated that they are committed to addressing all the pollution concerns associated with EO. The agency further added that new rules will be proposed to control the toxic air emissions from commercial sterilizers and facilities by the end of the year. 

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/epa-chemical-in-medical-device-cleanser-poses-cancer-risk/93338170 )