When we think of dangerous chemicals, we often picture industrial accidents or obvious spills. But some of the most significant threats to public health are invisible, odorless, and may have been affecting communities for years without their knowledge. One such chemical is ethylene oxide (EtO), a gas that is leading to a growing number of lawsuits nationwide because it is a dangerous carcinogen linked to severe health risks.
At our firm, we believe that when corporations prioritize profits over people’s health, they must be held accountable. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or another serious condition after EtO exposure, you may have legal options.
Ethylene oxide is a workhorse chemical in modern industry. One of its main uses is to sterilize medical equipment, including surgical kits and pacemakers.
“In the U.S., this colorless gas is primarily used to make other chemicals that are used to make a range of products, including antifreeze, textiles, plastics, detergents, and adhesives,” the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports. “It is also used to sterilize devices that can’t be sterilized using steam or radiation, such as some medical and dental equipment.”
“Workers may be exposed to EtO if they work in places where EtO is produced or used, such as chemical plants and commercial or hospital sterilizers,” the agency notes. “These workers potentially have higher-than-average exposure.”
Major health organizations, including the EPA and the National Cancer Institute, have classified ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen.
“The ability of ethylene oxide to damage DNA makes it an effective sterilizing agent but also accounts for its cancer-causing activity,” the National Cancer Institute reveals.
Decades of scientific studies have consistently linked long-term exposure to an increased risk of several cancers, including:
The National Cancer Institute notes that “Lymphoma and leukemia are the cancers most frequently reported to be associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide. Stomach and breast cancers may also be associated with ethylene oxide exposure.”
The general public is primarily exposed to EtO by breathing contaminated air. The risk is not from the sterilized medical products themselves, but from emissions released into the atmosphere by commercial sterilization facilities. These plants are often located in or near residential communities.
Recent understanding of the risk of long-term, low-level exposure to ethylene oxide has shed light on the potential dangers for people living or working near these facilities. The surge in ethylene oxide lawsuits is an understandable response to this acknowledgment.
If sterilization companies knew or should have known about the dangers of their emissions but failed to take adequate steps to protect neighboring communities, they need to be held liable. This negligence may have directly caused cancers and other serious health problems among residents and workers who were exposed to EtO, and they deserve justice.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lymphoma, leukemia, breast cancer, or other serious conditions and has lived or worked near a facility that uses ethylene oxide, you have the right to seek answers and justice.
Our team of attorneys is investigating these claims and fighting for the compensation that victims and their families deserve. We want to help you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and send a clear message that public health cannot be sacrificed for profit.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation to discuss your legal options now.
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