* The US Environmental Protection Agency recently declared it will begin air testing around the hugely controversial Sterigenics plant in Willowbrook. As we’ve discussed before, area residents are up in arms about pollution from the plant. Gov. Rauner, whose former firm still owns a chunk of the company, has said that the plant is not a public health crisis. But Willowbrook is represented by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and he is hot as heck over this.
I received this statement today from the governor’s office…
Out of an abundance of caution, we believe Sterigenics should pause operations until the USEPA can provide more clarity about the potential threat, if there is any.
* That comment was attached to this Illinois EPA press release…
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Alec Messina has referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office against Sterigenics US, LLC (Sterigenics) based on the findings of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in its Letter Health Consultation and on information provided by U.S. EPA. The Agency is seeking an order enjoining Sterigenics from continuing operations that result in any emissions of ethylene oxide either until a complete review of additional modeling and risk assessment is completed by U.S. EPA or until U.S. EPA otherwise assures the community that resumed operations would not present an elevated health risk.
Sterigenics is a commercial sterilizer that primarily uses ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical equipment. It operates in two buildings at 7775 Quincy Street and 830 Midway in Willowbrook.
As part of the process for assessing new cancer risk assumptions nationwide, U.S. EPA chose to evaluate the implications of the recently updated Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) at the Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook. U.S. EPA provided that data to ATSDR, and ATSDR concluded, in an August 21, 2018 report, that “if measured and modeled data represent typical EtO ambient concentrations in the air, an elevated cancer risk exists for residents and off-site workers in the Willowbrook community surrounding the Sterigenics facility.”
On September 28, 2018, Illinois officials and local community representatives met with U.S. EPA to discuss the status of U.S. EPA’s ongoing evaluation and testing at Sterigenics. While progress has been made, it is evident that additional weeks or months will pass before U.S. EPA will be in a position to provide an updated risk assessment and propose any resulting changes to relevant regulations. The lack of certainty continues to raise public concern. In addition, the September 28 meeting increased that concern due to information discussed. In particular, the August 21 ATSDR report referenced a “30-fold increase in cancer potency,” but at the September 28 meeting, U.S. EPA referenced a 60-fold increase.
In the referral, the Illinois EPA cited the findings of the ATSDR Letter Health Consultation and information provided at the September 28 meeting with U.S. EPA. In addition to the Agency requesting an order enjoining Sterigenics from continuing operations, the Agency requests , as an alternative, the Attorney General’s Office pursue a violation of Section 9(a) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Illinois EPA also requests Sterigenics pursue EtO emission limits for the Willowbrook facility that would be memorialized in an amended permit.
*** UPDATE *** Excerpt from Sterigenics press release…
Shutting down the Willowbrook facility — and all the others in Illinois that emit any EO — will create serious risk for hospitals and medical device manufacturers that depend on EO all in the name of safety for the healthcare industry. This action by Illinois is not justified by the facts and the EPA has communicated directly to the Governor that Sterigenics Willowbrook does not present an imminent threat to public health. We urge reconsideration of the Governor’s ill- considered action, which is based on a misuse of ATSDR data, which the ATSDR has already publically acknowledged.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:24 am:
So the best case scenario is a cancer risk thirty times normal?
Yikes
– MrJM
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:25 am:
A “pause” in causing cancer.
I am gonma let Andrea Thome handle this one.
- Thomas PaineOn - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:27 am:
On second thought: “pause” means you are already planning on restarting the cancer machine once you get the green light from Trump.
That is not gonna sit well with Bridget Fitzgerald I do not think.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:28 am:
===…if there is any.===
Wow.
That’s the most telling. They (Governor’s Office) aren’t buying into the dangers. Whew.
“… if there is any.”
- JUst sayin - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:28 am:
The guy that refutes court orders on workers wages wants s “pause” in this scenario. Surprised?
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:29 am:
GovJunk — man of action — let’s see Quincy, Willowbrook any other places his magic fingers have touched.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:30 am:
–Gov. Rauner, whose former firm still owns a chunk of the company,–
The Trib has been reporting that Rauner has a financial stake in Sterigenics due to his continued membership and partnership interests in GTCR.
Wee bit of a conflict of interest.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:37 am:
“If there is any”: probably added by Governor’s personal lawyer.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:45 am:
Speakin’ of news
Sterigenics International was named the 2015 Private Equity- backed Portfolio Company of the Year by the Illinois Venture Capital Association (IVCA).
According to a release from the company, the voting panel consisted of more than 50 IVCA Board members and prior recipients of IVCA Awards.
“We are honored to receive this award,” said Michael Mulhern, CEO of Sterigenics International. “It is a direct reflection of the commitment and performance of our 1800 employees around the world who are working every day to help improve global public health.”
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:51 am:
Used to work in this field. It seems this case warrants immediate action. Series of questions. What is the actual risk? 60 times a very small number could still be a small number. What is the time frame for exposure? Are they looking at 70 years of continuous exposure or a short time span. (Think radiation badges worn in nuclear facilities ). Is there a simple fix such as putting contaminated air through an incinerator?
Act promptly. But aim first.
- Duopoly - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 10:55 am:
=A “pause” in causing cancer.
I am gonma let Andrea Thome handle this one.=
Let Patty Schuh handle it, then you guys’ll love it.
- striketoo - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 11:04 am:
A pause while the ambient air monitoring is conducted. Makes sense.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 11:12 am:
While youse guys are checkin’ GovJunk poison plant in Willowbrook perhaps you want to spin up to Lake Co. and …Sterigenics International reported a $10 million expansion at their Gurnee, Illinois facility, to add a new gamma cell.
- DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Not sure how much longer JB is waiting for the knockout punch? Should have hit Sterigenics when Rauner said it wasn’t a crisis.
Amazing how bad their messaging people are and how poorly they respond to things.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 11:42 am:
From the Update:
“This action by Illinois is not justified by the facts and the EPA has communicated directly to the Governor that Sterigenics Willowbrook does not present an imminent threat to public health.”
We’re not just talking about an imminent threat here. The report clearly stated that the long-term effects were potentially even more dangerous.
OSHA requires employers to monitor ET(O)- https://www.osha.gov/Publications/ethylene_oxide.html
If those employees don’t also live in the area, then they are probably safer than the residents.
NIOSH info, including schematics of a typical unit:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-164/pdfs/2007-164.pdf
- Jocko - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 12:06 pm:
==Out of an abundance of caution==
That, and the National Air Toxins Assessment lit up like a Christmas tree.
Does this mean Alec Messina finally got around to sending records to the AG?
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 12:27 pm:
“and all the others in Illinois that emit any EO ”
List of GovJunk other poion plants pleezzzzze
- Langhorne - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 1:35 pm:
===if there is any===
From the guy who rated his Quincy response “excellent”
Time for a permanent pause on his tenure. Arriva derci (sp)
- DuPage - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 1:49 pm:
They want to pause now, after installing some sort of equipment to reduce these carcinogenic emissions? What about the last 30 years?
It looks like the hospitals have good reason to farm out this work. They don’t want EO fumes anywhere near their facilities.
- Going nuclear - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
IEPA would be wise to consult other states as well as provinces in Canada to see if they have developed any air quality guidelines for EtO. I would start with California, which tends to be a leader in assessing and regulating hazardous emissions from industrial sources.
If IEPA decides to amend the operating permit for the Willowbrook facility, it should hold a public hearing to seek feedback from local residents. Unfortunately, the agency’s track record for notifying and involving stakeholders in agency decision-making has been spotty in recent years, particularly for the air bureau (e.g., VW settlement funds and backdoor Dynegy bailout).
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 3:47 pm:
Annonin’ is that the same Venture Capital Association that was co-founded by JB Pritzker? Sure is. Maybe he voted for Sterigenics.