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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 4 augusT 2022
EPA: Chemical in medical-device cleanser poses cancer risk

By MATTHEW DALY plant is overstated. Emis-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The sions it reported to the EPA
Environmental Protection are “worst case scenarios,”
Agency is warning residents rather than specific pollu-
who live near medical ster- tion levels, the company
ilizing plants in 13 states and said.
Puerto Rico about potential The Ethylene Oxide Steriliza-
health risks from emissions tion Association, an industry
of ethylene oxide, a chemi- group, said in a statement
cal widely used in their op- that ethylene oxide has
erations. been used for decades by
Laredo, Texas; Ardmore, the health care community
Oklahoma; and Lakewood, to sterilize a wide variety
Colorado, are among the of medical devices and
communities facing the equipment. More than 20
highest risk from ethylene billion health care products
oxide emissions, EPA said. are sterilized each year in
The agency has notified 23 the U.S. alone.
commercial sterilizers 19 In many cases, there are
in the continental U.S. and no practical alternatives
four in Puerto Rico that currently available to ethyl-
their operations pose an el- ene oxide, the group said,
evated risk of cancer and adding that use of less ef-
other ailments. The notice Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan speaks at a news conference fective cleaning methods
follows a recent survey of May 5, 2022, at the Department of Justice in Washington. Associated Press “could introduce the real
emissions data from almost risks of increased morbidity
100 commercial sterilizers commercial sterilizers to found, including an Aug. Jackson, Missouri that is on and mortality’’ at hospitals
nationwide. take appropriate steps to 10 webinar. More than half EPA’s watch list. throughout the country.
Ethylene oxide is used to reduce emissions. the sites on EPA’s watch list More than 40% of Laredo’s EPA called medical steril-
clean everything from “Today, EPA is taking action are in predominantly mi- nearly 70,000 schoolchil- ization “a critical function
catheters to syringes, pace- to ensure communities are nority or low-income com- dren attend campuses in that ensures a safe supply
makers and plastic surgical informed and engaged in munities. areas with an elevated risk of medical devices for pa-
gowns. our efforts to address ethyl- Laredo, one of the com- of cancer due to ethylene tients and hospitals.’’
While short-term or infre- ene oxide, a potent air tox- munities targeted by the oxide emissions from the The agency said it is com-
quent exposure to ethylene ic posing serious health risks EPA notice, is a border city Midwest plant, according mitted to addressing pollu-
oxide does not appear to with long-term exposure,” where the vast majority of to an analysis by ProPubli- tion concerns associated
pose a health risk, EPA said EPA Administrator Michael residents are Latino and ca and the Texas Tribune. with EO, sometimes called
long-term or lifetime expo- Regan said in a statement more than a quarter live A spokesperson for Mid- EtO, “in a comprehensive
sure to the chemical could Wednesday. in poverty. Missouri-based west declined immediate way that ensures facilities
lead to a variety of health EPA will conduct public out- Midwest Sterilization Corp. comment. But the compa- can operate safely in com-
impacts, including lym- reach campaigns in each operates a sterilization ny told ProPublica and the munities while also pro-
phoma and breast cancer. of the communities where plant in Laredo. The com- Tribune last December that viding sterilized medical
EPA said it is working with elevated risks have been pany also owns a plant in cancer risk from its Laredo supplies.’’q

Most of Nebraska wildfire contained,

despite lack of rain

light showers and lightning Nature, he said. grees (37.7 Celsius) each
strikes that sparked two ad- “Still, we’re hoping that by day through Friday, with
ditional fires. tomorrow, we’ll end up the heat receding some-
The first fire was sparked in- turning this effort back over what to the upper 80s on
side the wildfire parameters to the Gering Fire Depart- Saturday.
and was extinguished after ment,” Bohall said. Other large fires are rag-
burning a little more than 3 The wildfire has scorched ing in the West, including
acres (12,140 square me- about 25 square miles (65 a Northern California fire
In this photo provided by the Nebraska Forest Service, the Carter ters), Bohall said. The sec- square kilometers) of mostly that has burned roughly 90
Canyon wildfire burns in western Nebraska on Monday, Aug. 1, ond fire erupted in Banner grass and timberland, de- square miles (233 square
2022 in Neb. County south of the wildfire stroying three homes and kilometers) in the Klamath
Associated Press and was put out after burn- damaging several others National Forest. In north-
GERING, Neb. (AP) — Fire contained by Wednesday ing about 5 acres (20,234 over the weekend. Officials western Montana, a fire
crews made substantial morning after being only square meters), he said. confirmed late Tuesday that started Friday on the
headway in containing a about 30% contained a A jump in humidity has that the fire was started by Flathead Indian Reserva-
western Nebraska wildfire day earlier, Ben Bohall with helped keep the wildfire several lightning strikes Sat- tion had 25 square miles
that has destroyed some the Nebraska Forest Service from gaining energy, Bohall urday evening. It gained (66 square kilometers) by
homes, despite getting sig- said. said. There also was a slight ground early on due to tin- Tuesday, and the Moose
nificantly less rain than offi- Fire crews had hoped chance of thunderstorms der-dry conditions, rough Fire in Idaho had burned
cials hoped for. storms Tuesday would bring and showers Wednesday terrain and high winds. more than 85 square miles
Officials believed the heavy rains to help douse night, but crews weren’t The National Weather Ser- (220 square kilometers) in
Carter Canyon Fire south the flames, but Bohall said expecting much in they vice has forecast scorching the Salmon-Challis National
of Gering was about 85% the area instead only saw way of help from Mother temperatures over 100 de- Forest.q