Ethylene oxide, sometimes called “EtO,” is a gas used in many factories. It helps sterilize medical tools and make other products. But it also carries health risks, especially when people breathe it in for a long time.
Health risks of EtO
Scientists and health agencies have concluded that EtO can cause health problems:
- Breathing in EtO for years may raise a person’s chance of getting cancer (for example, certain blood cancers, or breast cancer).
- Shorter-term exposure may irritate your eyes, nose, throat, or lungs.
- Because EtO gas can spread in the air, living near a plant that emits it could increase risk over time.
In short: even if you don’t feel sick right now, long-term exposure may affect your health years later.
Where EtO comes from in communities
EtO doesn’t just appear by accident. It usually comes from certain kinds of industrial operations:
- Large sterilization plants that clean medical equipment using EtO gas.
- Chemical plants that either make EtO or use it to make other chemicals.
- Storage or warehouse facilities that handle materials that may emit EtO.
If you live near one of these facilities, there may be higher risk of exposure. Winds, geography, and how the facility is built affect how far the gas travels.
Why it matters that regulation and lawsuits exist
Because EtO can cause serious harm over time:
- Government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are tightening rules on how much EtO factories can emit.
- Communities are using legal tools — lawsuits — to hold factories responsible.
- Cases show some companies face big payouts, but some cases are dismissed or lose at trial.
It’s important to understand that not every case ends in a win for people who claim harm. That doesn’t mean there is no risk — it means litigation is complex.
Major legal cases: some big wins and some dismissed claims
Big Verdicts and Settlements
- In Illinois, one case involving a plant near Willowbrook that used EtO ended with a jury awarding $363 million to a single resident. This was one of the highest awards in such cases.
- That same company later agreed to settle about $408 million to resolve hundreds of similar claims.
Cases Dismissed or Lost
- In Georgia, residents sued a sterilization plant for EtO exposure. A federal judge dismissed claims by 20 plaintiffs without prejudice (meaning they can try again) and dismissed 3 plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice (meaning they cannot refile those particular claims) because they failed to show they were harmed by that plant’s EtO emissions.
- In West Virginia, in the case Sommerville v. Union Carbide Corporation, the court dismissed the lawsuit in 2024 because the plaintiff did not have “standing” (legal right) since she had not yet suffered a concrete injury — she alleged only increased risk of cancer but no diagnosis yet.
- In Colorado, a jury trial involving EtO exposure resulted in a defense verdict (meaning the company won). The jury found that the company was not negligent in its handling of EtO.
What this means for communities
- Because there are both wins and losses, evidence matters a lot: proof of exposure, proof of illness, proof the facility caused the exposure.
- The fact that some claims get dismissed means firms and committees must pay attention to statute of limitations (the time limit to sue), standing (legal right to sue), and proof of causation (showing the company’s emissions caused the harm).
- Even if a case is dismissed now, it may still spur regulation, monitoring, and facility changes that benefit the community.
EtO is a serious hazard. If you have a blood cancer or breast cancer and lived near a sterilization facility for a significant amount of time, your illness may be related to exposure. It’s important to discuss this with a lawyer if you believe you may be impacted. Our environmental law attorneys at Stag Liuzza are positioned to help you in this matter. Contact our office if you have questions.
