Ethylene Oxide - November 16, 2018 Update
The Village Board shares the concerns of residents regarding the use of the chemical ethylene oxide (EtO) within Gurnee. Like our residents, the Village desires more information and that appropriate action be taken by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to protect our community. We continue to be in contact with both of these agencies, as well as the Lake County Health Department on this issue. The IEPA and US EPA are the lead agencies on this issue and have the jurisdiction authority and responsibility for monitoring, permitting and regulating ethylene oxide emissions.
This week the US EPA advised the County of Lake and the Village of Gurnee that the Agency will launch a Lake County section on its website to communicate the most current information available on the situation. The US EPA has stated the Lake County page will provide our residents with regular updates on the investigation, future ethylene oxide interventions and emission monitoring and answers to their questions, similar to the page established for Sterigenics in Willowbrook: https://www.epa.gov/il/sterigenics-willowbrook-facility. We will post a link to the US EPA’s Lake County page as soon as it is established to ensure our residents will have the most up to date information available.
The US EPA has also created an email address that can be used to ask questions and express concerns. The email address is eto@epa.gov
The US EPA has further advised the Village that Vantage Specialty Chemicals, Inc. located in Gurnee has provided equipment monitoring results to the Agency. In addition, Vantage has voluntarily committed to implementing an air monitoring program at the perimeter of its property utilizing guidance provided by the IEPA. The Village will continue its efforts to press for the immediate disclosure of information related to the use of the chemical ethylene oxide within the Village and the completion of a site-specific risk assessment related to the Vantage site.
