Ethylene oxide is commonly used in the manufacturing of various consumer and industrial products, including as a sterilization agent for medical equipment and devices. As a highly carcinogenic compound, exposure to ethylene oxide causes an increased risk of cancer, particularly for individuals who have been routinely exposed to the chemical for extended periods of time. Lawsuits have been filed against several companies that emit ethylene oxide during their manufacturing processes. Recently, the use of ethylene oxide has come under scrutiny by both federal and state agencies, which have proposed stricter regulations for ethylene oxide emissions.
Ethylene Oxide Lawyers are Ready to Help
Contact our Ethylene Oxide Lawyers to review whether you or a family member may be entitled to financial compensation. Levy Konigsberg LLP is currently accepting Ethylene Oxide cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one has suffered one or more of these complications, you may be entitled to a cash award and compensation for medical expenses. For a free confidential consultation with Ethylene Oxide Lawyers at our law firm, please call 1-800-988-8005 or submit an email inquiry above.
What is Ethylene Oxide?
Ethylene oxide is flammable gas that can enter the body through inhalation or skin contact. The gas has no color or odor and can linger in the air for prolonged periods of time. It is most often used as an intermediate compound in producing other chemicals, such as ethylene glycol. Ethylene oxide is found in many products including antifreeze, adhesives, polyester, pesticides, and sterilization equipment for medical devices.
What is Happening with Ethylene Oxide?
Class action lawsuits have been brought against industrial plants throughout the United States for ethylene oxide contamination. According to plaintiffs, chemical and manufacturing companies in their states are responsible for exposing individuals to large amounts of ethylene oxide. Residents and workers have been inhaling the gas continuously for years and now have substantially elevated risks of developing cancers and other reproductive and health issues. Ethylene oxide can result in cell damage if inhaled in large quantities. Cancers of the blood, kidneys, lungs, brain, pancreas, kidney, stomach and reproductive organs may develop when a large number of cells are destroyed in this process.
One class action complaint has been filed against B Braun Medical in Allentown, Pennsylvania for its release of copious amounts of ethylene oxide into the air during its medical sterilization processes – sometimes as much as 8,960 pounds per year. Ethylene oxide leaks have led to health concerns in many other plants in the country, including the Sterigenics plant in Willowbrook, Illinois and a Sterigenics facility outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Following the leak at the Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook, 32 complaints were filed against the company in Cook, County Chicago alleging that ethylene oxide in the air has given rise to multiple new cases of cancer. A complaint was also filed against ConMed Corp. in May 2020 for exposing workers in the medical device sterilization company to dangerous levels of ethylene oxide over an extended period of time.
Federal agenices including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with state agencies and environmental groups, have recognized the need for increased regulation of ethylene oxide. Following the EPA’s most recent National Air Toxics Assessment, it published a proposed rule to lessen and monitor ethylene oxide emissions. Several states, Congress, and the FDA have also initiated measures to target ethylene oxide emissions in the face of mounting evidence of its dangerous carcinogenic effects on exposed individuals.
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/emerging-regulation-enforcement-and-94086/
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-130/default.html
Ethylene Oxide Side Effects
Side effects of exposure to ethylene oxide include:
- Eye damage;
- Miscarriage;
- Headaches;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Memory loss;
- Irritation of the skin;
- Nerve damage; and
- Cancers, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma, pediatric lymphoma, and cancers of the breast, prostate, pancreas, kidneys, lung, brain, stomach, ovaries, and bladder.
Ethylene Oxide Lawyers are Ready to Help
Contact our Ethylene Oxide Lawyers to review whether you or a family member may be entitled to financial compensation. Levy Konigsberg LLP is currently accepting Ethylene Oxide cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one has suffered one or more of these complications, you may be entitled to a cash award and compensation for medical expenses. For a free confidential consultation with Ethylene Oxide Lawyers at our law firm, please call 1-800-988-8005 or submit an email inquiry above.
