IL SJR0027

Acknowledges that ethylene oxide is a known carcinogen and its discharge into the atmosphere in high concentrations poses a threat to public health and safety.

Notes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency discovered heightened levels of ethylene oxide around the Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook, leading the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to issue a seal order on February 15, 2019.

Identifies that Lake County currently has two facilities permitted to emit and discharge ethylene oxide, with no state or federal ambient air quality testing yet conducted around these facilities.

Urges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct ambient air monitoring and testing around the two ethylene oxide-emitting facilities in Lake County.

Urges the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to take all possible actions to assist in ambient air monitoring and protect the public from environmental and health risks posed by ethylene oxide emissions in Lake County.