Across Georgia, thousands of workers are unknowingly exposed to a dangerous chemical every day. Ethylene oxide (EtO), a colorless and odorless gas, is widely used to sterilize nearly half of all medical devices in the U.S. and to manufacture common goods such as plastics, fabrics, and cleaning products. Yet, behind this convenience lies a deadly truth: ethylene is a confirmed human carcinogen.
For Georgia residents, exposure to this toxic gas has become a silent threat, putting workers and their families at greater risk of cancer with each breath. To address this injustice, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must act promptly to update its outdated regulations and protect workers from a hazard that has been left unchecked for far too long.
Typically, many medical instruments and equipment are sterilized using high heat. However, for those who cannot withstand high temperatures, the solution is to use ethylene oxide. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 20 billion medical tools are treated with EtO every year. However, the health hazards associated with this method have been documented for decades. Long-term exposure to this toxic gas has been directly linked to cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and breast cancer, while short-term exposure can cause respiratory and neurological damage.
In Georgia, sterilization facilities are among the major sources of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions, releasing the gas into the air where it can travel beyond facility grounds. Workers in sterilization and pharmaceutical plants are especially vulnerable, but nearby residents may also face elevated risks. One such facility, Kendal Patient Recovery U.S. LLC, contributed to EtO emissions in Georgia until its recent closure
This isn’t an isolated issue. Across the country, communities have suffered devastating consequences from EtO exposure. In Willowbrook, Illinois, air tests near a Sterigenics facility found cancer risks 64 times higher than federal safety benchmarks. In Laredo, Texas, the estimated risk was 350 times above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) acceptable level. Disturbingly, these facilities weren’t breaking the law. They were just following outdated standards.
The agency responsible for keeping workers safe, OSHA, has failed to update its ethylene oxide exposure limits since 1984. Meanwhile, the EPA now recognizes EtO as one of the most potent cancer-causing agents in industrial use, even in low concentrations.
This disconnect between agencies has created a dangerous gap. While the EPA works to limit environmental emissions, OSHA’s obsolete workplace standards continue to endanger the very people who handle the chemical daily. Workers deserve better than to be poisoned slowly by a system that prioritizes convenience and corporate profit over human life.
New, science-based limits are urgently needed. Recent EPA assessments recommend reducing permissible exposure levels (PELs) to 0.5 parts per million (ppm) by 2028, 0.25 ppm by 2030, and 0.1 ppm by 2035 - far below OSHA’s current limit of 1 ppm. The EPA also recommends requiring respiratory protection and improved air ventilation when concentrations exceed these levels. Unquestionably, EPA’s recommendations are proof that even low concentrations of EtO can pose an increased risk of chronic diseases; yet, OSHA’s lack of response is disconcerting.
To prevent further harm, OSHA must enforce strong measures for EtO use by facilities and manufacturers. Mandating continuous air monitoring in workplaces, transparent reporting of EtO levels, stronger protective equipment, and regular health screenings for workers with known exposure risks are urgent and imperative. These changes are both feasible and lifesaving for thousands of workers.
The people who sterilize our surgical instruments, manufacture medicines, and produce household items perform essential labor, but the price of our convenience shouldn’t involve terminal illnesses and suffering. Yet, industry lobbyists continue to fight against stronger regulations, prioritizing profits over people. Protecting workers from EtO exposure shouldn’t be just a basic policy, but also a moral responsibility.
Local leaders, labor unions, and Georgia residents must unite to demand action. By amplifying workers’ voices, supporting community air monitoring, and pressuring OSHA to update its standards, they can help close this regulatory failure that has persisted for decades.
Ethylene oxide is not a new hazard that has just taken us by surprise. It’s a well-known and well-documented killer that has lingered in the air and workplaces for generations. It’s time for OSHA to finally step up, modernize its protections, and put worker safety first. Until then, Georgia’s families will continue to pay the ultimate price for an invisible danger that never should have been ignored.
Jordan Cade is an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., a firm in Birmingham, Alabama, that provides legal services for victims exposed to toxic chemicals.
