EPA to Host Sept. 14 Virtual Community Meeting for Linden and Elizabeth New Jersey Residents  

Community meeting will focus on informing residents about potential health risks from a nearby sterilizer plant 

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov 

NEW YORK (September 7, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Linden will host a virtual community meeting for residents of Linden and Elizabeth, New Jersey to share information about health risks from the chemical, ethylene oxide or EtO, which is being emitted from a facility called the Cosmed ETO Sterilization Plant #2.  

The community meeting will take place virtually on September 14 at 6:30 p.m. with an in-person option to participate hosted by the City of Linden at Linden City Hall Planning Board Room- 301 N Wood Ave 3rd Floor Linden, NJ 07036. 

During the meeting EPA staff will discuss potential risks for nearby residential and commercial properties associated with emissions from the ETO Sterilization-Plant #2 located at 2500 Brunswick Avenue, Linden, NJ.  

Ethylene oxide – also known as EtO – is a human carcinogen emitted by some commercial sterilizers.  

EPA analysis indicates that the air near the Cosmed ETO Sterilization Plant #2 does not exceed short-term health benchmarks. However, the concern is that a lifetime of exposure to EtO emissions could lead to long-term health impacts if risk levels are not reduced.  

EPA is working with facilities like this one to take appropriate steps to reduce emissions. Later this year, EPA expects to propose an air pollution regulation to protect public health by requiring more controls on EtO emissions from commercial sterilizers.  

“EPA wants to make sure we are giving people the most up to date information about the risks posed by EtO and at the same time discuss what actions may already be underway or planned to reduce risk in their area,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “We also want to engage the public as we develop new regulations with the benefit of our current understanding of the risk posed by EtO. EPA’s actions will be strengthened by this input.” 

“The EPA as the lead agency in this matter has been keeping our city's Board of Health Department and my office apprised of all actions to best handle this situation. I want our residents to know that my office and our council take this very seriously and will work with the EPA to remedy this situation," said City of Linden Mayor Derek Armstead. "I encourage all residents of Linden to please take a moment out of your day to register for the meeting and join this informative meeting on September 14th." 

Meeting Details: 

Virtual Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, September 14, 2022; 6:30 p.m.  

To register for the September 14 virtual and in-person meeting and learn more about this facility.  

EPA is taking significant action to address EtO and advance critical EtO research. These actions include: 

• Reviewing Clean Air Act regulations for industries that emit EtO into the air, particularly rules to control air toxic emissions from commercial sterilizers and facilities that manufacture chemicals, 
• Working with state and local environmental agencies to reduce EtO emissions, 

• Expanding environmental reporting requirements for sterilization facilities, 
• EPA is committed using enforcement options as appropriate, 
• Reevaluating how EtO is used within sterilization facilities with the goal of reducing risks to workers who handle EtO and those who are exposed in other ways, 
• Conducting research to better understand and measure EtO. 

For more information about the EPA’s efforts to address ethylene oxide, visit our website: www.epa.gov/eto.  

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.  

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