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Image courtesy of United States Environmental Protection Agency

This map shows EPA’s estimates of lifetime cancer risks from ethylene oxide near Steritec, Inc. in Athens. The area in blue shows estimated lifetime cancer risks of 100 in a million or greater from breathing air containing EtO emitted from the facility. The area in dark blue on the map shows that exposure could contribute to a maximum increased risk level of 10 cancer cases if 10,000 people were exposed for 70 years.

Image courtesy of United States Environmental Protection Agency

This map shows EPA’s estimates of lifetime cancer risks from ethylene oxide near Steritec, Inc. in Athens. The area in blue shows estimated lifetime cancer risks of 100 in a million or greater from breathing air containing EtO emitted from the facility. The area in dark blue on the map shows that exposure could contribute to a maximum increased risk level of 10 cancer cases if 10,000 people were exposed for 70 years.

The Environmental Protection Agency hosted a public meeting Tuesday about ethylene oxide to discuss the risks posed by air emissions from facilities like Steritec, Inc. in Athens.

Steritec, located at 1705 Enterprise St., uses ethylene oxide to sterilize medical equipment and materials.

According to the EPA, pollution is increasing health risks in the area. During the public meeting Sept. 20, the EPA explained the risks and detailed how the agency and Steritec are working to take appropriate steps to reduce emissions.

Ethylene oxide is a colorless and odorless, flammable gas used to sterilize devices that can’t be sterilized using steam or radiation, like some medical and dental equipment. EtO is the only safe and effective sterilization method currently available for some devices.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, EtO is currently used to treat approximately 50% of sterile medical devices, about 20 billion medical devices annually.

EtO is also produced in large volumes at some chemical manufacturing facilities. In the United States, it is primarily used to make other chemicals used to make a range of products, like antifreeze, textiles, plastics, detergents, and adhesives. It is also used to sterilize some food products and spices.

The EPA is working to reduce EtO emissions and the Food and Drug Administration is looking to identify alternatives.

According to the EPA, there are around 100 commercial sterilizers using EtO in the United States, and Steritec in Athens is one of 23 with the highest risk.

EPA scientists and analysts completed a risk assessment in July to understand the impact of emissions from the facility, using the most recent information about how much EtO the company emits into the air and modeled estimated cancer risks to people living nearby. The agency’s model is based on exposure to EtO 24 hours a day for 70 years. The risk assessment identified elevated cancer risk in the Athens community.

There are two types of EtO emissions from the facility, controlled and fugitive, with the majority of the risk caused by fugitive emissions, which are leaks and other irregular releases of gasses or vapors.

According to the EPA, it learned in 2016 that fugitive emissions were more dangerous than first thought and in 2018, it began more research into commercial sterilizers.

There is no indication of risk from soil or water, consumer use of products made with or sterilized with EtO, or acute or emergency health impacts, according to the EPA.

Jeff Robinson, Chief of the Air Planning, Monitoring and Grants branch of the Region 6 Air & Radiation Division with the EPA, said options to help regulate these fugitive emissions would be easy to implement and would be smaller changes, such as vacuum doors.

EtO doesn’t last in the air or seep into water or soil, so if fugitive emissions are taken care of, then it wouldn’t be a problem, according to Robinson.

Analysis indicates that the air near the facility does not exceed short-term health benchmarks. However, the concern is that a lifetime of exposure to EtO emissions could lead to long-term health impacts.

This risk assessment and the rule it supports are focused on community risk not worker risk, and workers may be exposed at higher levels. Children and babies may be at higher risk.

Reducing EtO emissions is the best way to reduce risk, according to the EPA.

The agency contacted Steritec earlier this year and the facility responded immediately, seeking EPA guidance on how to safely conduct business.

Steritec plans to review the proposed commercial sterilizer revised regulation and determine its next steps for adding additional pollution controls.

In addition to sharing these risk results with the community, the EPA is working across government and industry to reduce emissions and update air pollution regulations.

The EPA said new regulation will be proposed this year. The public comment period will last 60 days and a final rule is expected in 2023. Once the rule is final, facilities typically have three years to comply with new requirements.

Later this year, the agency will release additional information about the risks that EtO creates to those who work in these facilities, as well as those who spend time near them.

Medical sterilization is a critical function that ensures a safe supply of medical devices for patients and hospitals and the EPA said it is committed to addressing the pollution concerns in a comprehensive way that ensures facilities can operate safely.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/eto/athens. Residents can also submit questions to the EPA at eto@epa.gov.

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