ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a virtual community meeting this week to highlight concerns and mitigation efforts for the toxic chemical ethylene oxide.
- The EPA is hosting a community meeting Dec. 1 on the risks of ethylene oxide
- The focus will be on the B. Braun commercial sterilizer in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, and efforts to reduce emissions and risk
- Health and environmental officials will be available to address concerns and answer questions
The meeting will focus on revised risk information related to the B. Braun commercial sterilizer at 901 Marcon Blvd. in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, and efforts regarding ethylene oxide pollution.
Ethylene oxide is a chemical used in the sterilization of medical equipment that has been known to cause blood and breast cancer.
It is used at the B. Braun medical device manufacturing facility on Marcon Boulevard.
According to the EPA, workers in sterilization facilities that use EtO and communities living near these facilities are potentially at the highest risk of being exposed to EtO.
The virtual community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1.
A federal air toxin map created by the EPA based on 2018 emission data lists the area where these concerns are being raised as having a higher cancer risk than other areas in the Lehigh Valley.
B. Braun is the subject of lawsuits in recent years over concerns that it has contributed to residents' cancer diagnoses. The company said the lawsuits are without merit and it is committed to safety.
EPA Press Officer David Sternberg said that recent emission reductions and added technology have reduced concerns from B. Braun, and it is not currently listed as a site of high risk by the EPA.
Sternberg said the meeting will feature valuable information for the community.
"It's still worthwhile, in our view, to get to have the meeting," Sternberg said. "We have information concerning the risk and the change of risk, and new data. So I think the residents would be interested in that."
The EPA said later this year it plans to change regulations to better address and reduce air pollution from commercial sterilizers.
"We welcome the opportunity to attend the EPA’s community meeting. B. Braun safely uses ethylene oxide to sterilize the life-sustaining medical devices we manufacture at our Hanover Township facility," said Alli Logenhagen, a company spokesperson for B. Braun. "Our safe operating practices are reflected by the fact that our facility is not included on EPA’s list of facilities with an elevated risk of exposure to Ethylene Oxide, released in August of this year. B. Braun’s longstanding commitment to protect the health and safety of our employees, our community and the millions of patients we serve will always be our top priority."
The meeting will also feature federal and state environmental and health officials who will address comments, concerns and questions from the community.
Pa. Department of Environmental Protection staff will discuss work with B. Braun to reduce emissions and risk.
A Spanish-speaking interpreter will be available.
Participants can register for the virtual meeting here.
