ethylene oxide
Coverage of ethylene oxide in the Nexus archive.
- Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air – and industry helped keep it that way
Louisiana communities near industrial facilities face toxic air exposure, but an industry-backed law limits the use of community-collected air data. Ten major polluters operate without public air monitors within five miles, and the state does not monitor three key carcinogens—ethylene oxide, chloroprene, and formaldehyde.
- Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way
Louisiana residents near industrial facilities face toxic air pollution with limited public monitoring. A 2023 industry-backed law restricted community-collected air data, and state monitors often lack proximity to major polluters or fail to test for key carcinogens like ethylene oxide, chloroprene, and formaldehyde.
- Virginia joins lawsuit to block EPA rollback of emission standards
Virginia's Attorney General Jay Jones joined 13 other attorneys general in a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its proposal to repeal emissions standards for ethylene oxide, a chemical linked to cancer risks. The Trump administration is reversing Biden-era regulations that required stricter controls on ethylene oxide emissions from sterilization facilities, including those in the Richmond region.
- Ten times worse than benzene — California updates its science on two air contaminants
California health officials have released new scientific findings about health risks from exposure to two air toxics, acrolein and ethylene oxide, which are present in California's ambient air. The findings indicate that these air contaminants pose significant health risks. The update is based on the latest science available.
- Trump’s rollback of toxic gas rules limits EPA’s authority to protect public health, analysis says
The Trump administration plans to rescind 2024 regulations for toxic ethylene oxide pollution, limiting the EPA's authority to protect public health. Recent research found ethylene oxide is about 60 times more carcinogenic than previously thought. The Biden EPA had passed a rule requiring emitters to cut emissions by 90%.