Hall of Famer Jim Thome protests Sterigenics
Wednesday, Oct 3, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC 7…
The Illinois EPA has ordered Sterigenics to cease operations in Willowbrook until their safety investigation into carcinogenic emissions is completed, as political pressure mounts to close the facility.
Sterigenics did not respond publically to this latest move by the state to address concerns residents in Willowbrook and surrounding towns have about emissions of ethylene oxide from the plant. But the political pressure is mounting to shut them down until it’s known whether what they’re doing inside their facilities is safe for the communities around them.
After an Illinois Senate Committee hearing to look into the matter was cancelled Tuesday at the Thompson Center, residents and representatives went outside to demand the closure of Sterigenics.
Among them was Hall of Fame baseball player Jim Thome and his family, who moved to Willowbrook seven years ago
Mrs. Thome has been taking the lead so far, so this is new.
* NBC 5…
Tuesday afternoon, politicians and many Willowbrook area residents–including former pro-baseball player Jim Thome–spoke out about Sterigenics.
“Enough is enough,” Thome said. “We need to eliminate this, let’s all come together.”
* One Illinois…
Andrea Thome, wife of baseball Hall of Famer and former White Sox star Jim Thome, said she had a “lightbulb moment” when she heard of the federal report released in August, because her mother had died from liver cancer and her father had suffered a brain tumor after moving into the area.
“Both of my parents were very healthy,” Thome said. “We asked them to move here to help us raise our kids” in the western suburbs, and they settled a mile from the Sterigenics operation. “I’m sorry,” she added, “but I don’t believe in coincidence that much.”
She said she’d written a blog post about her parents’ ailments, and many local residents had responded with similar stories.
“This is personal to us,” Jim Thome said. “Sterigenics has been poisoning the air in our community for a long, long time.”
* One Illinois pic from the event…
* Meanwhile…
Today, DPI Executive Director Christian Mitchell and families impacted by Sterigenics held a press conference on the Rauner-owned company releasing cancer-causing toxins into the community and the Rauner administration refusing to take immediate action to shut down the facility and protect our children.
Bruce Rauner downplayed the U.S. EPA report when it came to light on August 28, saying “this is not an emergency, this is not a public health immediate crisis,” as his administration delayed and refused to release key records. But yesterday, 35 days later, Rauner’s administration said, “we believe Sterigenics should pause operations.” Rauner’s 180 may be attributed to weeks of public outcry, impeding lawsuits, and the U.S. EPA conducting more extensive air pollutions tests, but he refuses to come clean.
* But was it really a full 180? Tribune…
The Tribune previously reported that quick action is unlikely for a variety of reasons, including steps the Rauner administration took before and after the Willowbrook cancer report was released to the public in late August.
Nearly two months earlier, the Illinois EPA responded to the then-secret report by quietly giving Sterigenics a permit to voluntarily install new pollution-control equipment, making it more difficult for authorities to pursue legal action against the company unless it can be proved that the fix has failed to eliminate health risks from ethylene oxide pollution.
Rauner appointees later refused to provide Madigan’s office with key documents about the Willowbrook facility, required the attorney general’s staff to request the records under the Freedom of Information Act and delayed providing the information until after the Tribune inquired about the dispute on Sept. 20. Even now, Madigan said, the state can’t make an effective case against Sterigenics without more air quality monitoring in surrounding neighborhoods, expert analysis of the results and other information that only the state or federal EPA can provide.
“We are prepared to move forward in court and have told IEPA what evidence is necessary to shut the site down,” Madigan said. “IEPA has not provided any evidence, but we will immediately evaluate any information the agency provides.”
* Also…
- So_Ill - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:37 pm:
Jim Thome is a class act. One of the nicest and greatest people I have ever met.
Good for him.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
Jim Th-
Thome?
Dang, they’re going hard for the Rich Miller vote.
- Chicago 20 - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
History disturbingly repeats itself. Rauner has a callous disregard for human lives.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:42 pm:
Thome works for the Sox. LOVE him.
- Not Rich - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:51 pm:
Me thinks that death and severe illness trumps ( no pun) a few toilets
- Huh? - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
Move along, nothing to see here. All is well. There is nothing to do, no health emergency.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:55 pm:
“this is not an emergency, this is not a public health immediate crisis”
Brutal. Let’s just strip away more regulations so the rich “job creators” can pollute more, rural America.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:57 pm:
Here’s the real to Rauner…
Willowbrook isn’t near Winnetka.
The Thomes are class people. They care, they are selfless.
Rauner won’t be moved, unless Winnetka got moved near Willowbrook.
Rauner will try to get ahead of this, still trying, actually, but…
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:57 pm:
=Me thinks that death and severe illness trumps ( no pun) a few toilets=
Yes it does. But this is a serious issue and it is time to move on from the politics and get something done by supporting Mrs. Thome and other action oriented people.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:58 pm:
“Rauner appointees later refused to provide … key documents about the Willowbrook facility”
Yup, the most transparent administration strikes again.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:04 pm:
==Huh? is either channeling Kevin Bacon from Animal House or has a serious case of the NIMBYs.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:11 pm:
Jocko - snarky comment. Channeling 1.4%.
- Reserved - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:15 pm:
It is my understanding the Attorney General’s office is how the IL EPA prosecutes environmental infractions and the fact the EPA is asking the AG to file a FOIA for records reeks of political games. Too be fair,the AG could be trying to politicize the issue, but it troubles me that the IL EPA isn’t cooperating here.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:21 pm:
Sterigenics hasn’t yet achieved full blown scandal status. I expect it will within the next few days. And I expect it to be a hot topic tonight.
- Rusty Bridges - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:48 pm:
Seems few reporters understand that Rauner is still very much an owner of Sterigenics, and he’s not just like some regular person owning a few shares of IBM or whatever.
Press has been bamboozled from day one about Rauner’s “blind” trust, which is not in fact blind in any way, and his continuing ownership interest of GTCR which is tightly controlled by him and only a tiny handful of others.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:58 pm:
Apologies to Huh?
In addition to reminding everyone of Bruce’s signed tax hike for 2018, I hope JB brings up Sterigenics, Quincy, the back-porch dealings with Kip, and DoIT/Deloitte.
- Professor - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 3:05 pm:
In past administrations IEPA would respond to the AG ‘immediately’ with any documents required, in fact IEPA would have notified the AG of the incident. IEPA and the AG worked together, whether it concerned, industry, farm sites disposal facilities, or whatever. But then the Governor was not an owner. Illinois has sunk to a new low of malfeasance and incompetence. This issue effects citizens lives. Oh my!
- Responsa - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
This hits hard because the Thomes are known to be such decent and low key people. It means more and people will listen because it is coming from them much more than from screaming activists. Well done Jim and Andrea. Hopefully this will prompt action to be taken toward a permanent shutdown.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
Who do you think has more credibility on this issue, the Thomes or Rauner?
Given the email evidence of slow-walking, double-talking and tukkus-covering from IDPH and the governor’s office in regards to Quincy, I imagine the FOIA requests are in to IEPA on Sterigenics already.
- Tom - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 11:24 pm:
Having grown up 1/4 mile from these plants, if I develop cancer early I’m going to be a little angry.
This is why it’s important to NOT deregulate environmental protections……
- Jeff - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 7:26 am:
Wow, all those kids in Willowbrook will have cancer by the time they are 26 and die when they are 29 from it!! sad so sad!!
- Veil of Ignorance - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:36 pm:
Scary story…having lost a parent to cancer myself, I’d be infuriated if I suspected a company was responsible and it was preventable.