ATLANTA, GA – Today, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a federal public health agency, released its draft report for public comment, Health Evaluation of Ethylene Oxide Concentrations in Outdoor Air Near Medline Industries and Vantage Specialty Chemicals Lake County, Illinois.
ATSDR scientists will discuss the overall findings of the report with the community at a public meeting.
WHEN: June 26, 2024
TIME: Public Availability Session (PAS), 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. CDT
Public Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. CDT
WHERE: Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep
3106 Belvidere Road, Waukegan, IL 60085
At the PAS, individuals will have the opportunity to meet and talk with scientists, ask questions, and discuss their environmental public health concerns. After the PAS, during the public meeting, community members can learn about ATSDR’s evaluation of ethylene oxide (EtO) in the outdoor air near Medline Industries medical sterilization facility in Waukegan, Illinois, and near Vantage Specialty Chemicals chemical manufacturing facility 3 miles away in Gurnee, Illinois.
The report analyzes EtO concentrations measured near facilities in Lake County, Illinois, from June 2019 through September 2023. Use this link to access the full report: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/EtO/Lake-Co-HC-508.pdf
ATSDR will accept comments to the report until August 5, 2024. Please address comments to Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Attn: Records Center, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS S106-5 Atlanta, Georgia 30341. Comments on the report may be submitted in writing or electronically to ATSDRRecordsCenter@cdc.gov.
The public comment process gives the community an opportunity to review the report and provide input. ATSDR’s responses to those comments will be included in an appendix of the final report. The report will not include the names of people submitting comments. However, names may be released if ATSDR receives a U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
RESOURCES
For more information about the Health Consultation on EtO concentrations in Lake County, Illinois contact CDC-INFO at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or www.cdc.gov/info or visit www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
For more information about EtO please refer to the ATSDR resources below:
Ethylene Oxide | Toxicological Profile | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
ATSDR Clinician Brief: Ethylene Oxide | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
Clinician Overview of Ethylene Oxide | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
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ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, invests in everyone’s health by evaluating the potential for adverse human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.