Community Engagement on Ethylene Oxide (EtO)
Past outreach efforts to residents with elevated risk
In August 2022, EPA completed an analysis that showed that ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from some commercial sterilizers in the U.S. contribute to elevated cancer risk for people living in nearby communities. Specifically, exposure over the course of a lifetime (24 hours a day for 70 years) to EtO at concentrations expected to be found near some commercial sterilizers can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer to at or above 100 in one million.
Over several months, EPA engaged with communities where risk to people who live near commercials sterilizers was the highest to hear about their concerns and answer their questions as we shared details about this risk assessment, community risk, and efforts to reduce this risk. For more information about the specific outreach dates and any available materials for a specific community, please visit the relevant community pages at the links below.
Review a full list of all commercial sterilizers in the United States.