The South Coast Air Quality Management District filed a petition Friday ordering Sterigenics, a medical device sterilization company in Vernon, to either stop polluting or to cease certain operations.
The air quality regulator found the company was emitting a cancer-causing gas called ethylene oxide (EtO) at a level that was six times higher than what is allowed by the state, according to monitoring from April 22 to July 2. Though the emissions dropped to background levels at the nearest residential area, the South Coast AQMD believes long-term exposure could still pose a risk to workers in the industrial park.
“Exposure to EtO over a number of years increases the risk of certain cancers, and facilities must ensure that their operations don’t negatively impact public health,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s executive officer. “The intent of this order is to reduce emissions as quickly and effectively as possible.”
The petition for an order of abatement, which will go to a hearing before the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board in August, would require Sterigenics to install temporary and permanent new equipment that would capture more ethylene oxide and vent it through enhanced pollution controls. Until the permanent versions can be installed, the company could have to erect temporary enclosures using physical barriers at the facility, according to a press release from the South Coast AQMD.
If the petition is approved by the board, Sterigenics will have to make the changes within a to-be-determined schedule or immediately cease the operations causing the emissions, according to the petition. The filing states that Sterigenics has cooperated with the investigation so far.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn offered her support for the petition in a statement Friday afternoon. Hahn previously called for the temporary shuttering of the facility and pushed the Board of Supervisors to block the company from receiving any county contracts.
“Finally, we have some action from the SCAQMD on the ongoing health threat at the Sterigenics plant in Vernon,” Hahn stated. “This is a step in the right direction, but I know the abatement process can be long, so shutting down this facility until they come into compliance would be safer for the workers and residents alike.”
Ethylene oxide is a flammable, colorless gas used to sterilize medical equipment and to make other products, including antifreeze and detergents. Short-term exposure can cause headaches, nausea and difficulty breathing, while long-term exposure can lead to lymphoid and breast cancers. South Coast AQMD began investigating Sterigenics and other ethylene oxide users in the region earlier this year in response to new reporting requirements issued by the federal EPA.
The air pollution control agency also is investigating Sterigenics’ other facility in Ontario and issued two notices of violation against that locaton for excessive emissions last month. The South Coast AQMD is working on additional rules that will impose stricter requirements on all medical device sterilizers that use ethylene oxide in the region, according to a spokesperson.