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* Michael Hawthorne…,
Communities facing abnormally high cancer risks from toxic air pollution stand out on a color-coded map created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Only a few dozen residential areas nationwide are shaded dark blue like neighborhoods surrounding the Sterigenics facility in west suburban Willowbrook, where potent ethylene oxide gas escapes from fumigation chambers used to sterilize medical instruments, pharmaceutical drugs and food.
Pull back from a tight focus on Willowbrook and another dark blue cluster comes into view about 40 miles northeast in Lake County.
More than 19,000 people live within areas at risk from ethylene oxide emitted by a Medline Industries facility near Interstate 94 in the southwest corner of Waukegan, the interactive map shows.
Another facility in Lake County could pose even greater risks than Sterigenics or Medline. Federal and state officials confirmed the only reason it isn’t on the map is that someone at the state level failed to provide the facility’s ethylene oxide emissions for the U.S. EPA’s latest estimate of cancer risks, known as the National Air Toxics Assessment. […]
None of the findings about Medline and Vantage has been shared with the public until now.
That interactive map is here.
* Press release…
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Chicago Tribune published a story that details how two facilities in Lake County, Illinois – Medline Industries, Inc. in Waukegan and Vantage Specialty Chemicals, Inc. in Gurnee – appear to emit cancer-causing emissions, yet the Rauner Administration, along with the Trump Administration, have delayed giving this pertinent information to Lake County residents:
This is simply outrageous. Day after day, the Rauner and Trump Administrations continue to prioritize public relations over serious public health hazards. The U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA must immediately begin conducting ambient air monitoring and stack tests to identify all emissions from the Medline and Vantage facilities and determine whether these facilities are releasing harmful levels of ethylene oxide – cancer causing emissions. They must also guarantee that both companies are taking the necessary steps to limit ethylene oxide emissions using any available pollution control technologies. Most importantly, the Rauner and Trump Administrations must be fully transparent with the public about the information they have on these two facilities, and set a public meeting for Lake County residents. Additionally, I will be calling on the EPA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to investigate whether or not EPA complied with all statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements and protocols when it intentionally withheld critical health information from the public on these two facilities. The health and safety of Illinoisans is at stake.
* Related…
* High Levels Of Lead Found In Chicago Homes With Water Meters
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:01 pm
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You know, this is where the Lisle and Downers Grove Groundwater Contamination situations came from — poor coordination among federal and state regulators and local government stakeholders. The same laissez faire approach to environmental protection caused the Illinois Veterans Home debacle.
I can’t know whether it’s all on purpose or not. The Crestwood groundwater mess was found to have criminal intent, but this will stop happening when environmental protection is properly funded and managed.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:13 pm
Senior Rauner Administration Officials: LWYRUP
And, on the coming long, quiet Tuesday, spend some time reflecting on how Bruce is for Bruce only.
Cut your best deal early after you get that knock. Or, even better, don’t wait and reach out first.
Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:20 pm
Medline: they sold Michael Reese and they are big political donors.
Comment by Fourier Friday, Nov 2, 18 @ 3:57 pm