B. Braun Medical Inc. – Ethylene Oxide

EtO Exposure

B. Braun Medical Inc. operates a major ethylene oxide sterilization facility at 901 Marcon Boulevard in Hanover Township, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Established in 1985, this manufacturing campus has operated continuously for nearly four decades and employs approximately 1,500 people at the site alone. During 2022, Braun invested more than $200 million in a massive 310,000 square foot expansion, nearly doubling the facility's footprint. Ethylene oxide has been used extensively by the company to sterilize medical equipment and materials, but the process has created serious health risks for workers and citizens. National Air Toxics Assessment in 2018 identified the facility as the 12th-largest ethylene oxide emitter across the country, emitting approximately 4,600 pounds of this known carcinogen. If you are a B. Braun employee or area resident who has developed cancer that may be linked to ethylene oxide exposure, legal remedies may be available.

Claim Application

The EPA's risk assessments and cancer concerns regarding B. Braun

The EPA's National Air Toxics Assessment revealed alarmingly high concentrations of ethylene oxide in the Allentown area, directly linked to B. Braun's sterilization operations. Risk estimates at certain points reached as high as 600 in 1 million, representing up to nineteen times the national average cancer risk. The EPA modeling identified elevated cancer risks near the facility, with some estimates suggesting risk levels of up to 200 times the Pennsylvania state average, though the site was not classified among the EPA's 23 highest-risk facilities nationwide.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA have documented that fugitive emissions from unregulated sources, including leaks from sterilization chambers, valves, and aeration rooms, could account for approximately 70% of the facility's total ethylene oxide emissions. Since the facility has been operating for decades, uncontrolled releases of this carcinogenic gas may have exposed workers and community members to dangerous levels.

The company has faced extensive litigation over ethylene oxide emissions, which allegedly caused cancer in nearby residents. Despite the fact that the company has settled most of its pending claims and denies any wrongdoing, the legal actions highlight serious concerns regarding ethylene oxide use at the facility. In July 2020, B. Braun installed advanced emission control systems, achieving over 99.9% destruction efficiency, resulting in over 90% emission reductions from 2018 to 2021, but this still leaves questions about decades of prior uncontrolled exposure.

Compensation claims for B. Braun ethylene oxide exposure

Workers at B. Braun's Allentown facility and residents living in surrounding areas may be eligible to file compensation claims if they have developed cancer that is potentially connected to ethylene oxide exposure. Numerous individuals may be eligible to take legal action against the facility due to the facility's long history since 1985 and the EPA's finding that cancer risks were significantly elevated.

ELG Law specializes in industrial ethylene oxide exposure cases, with the resources to investigate workplace and community contamination scenarios. Contact us to discuss your situation and see if you qualify to file a claim against B. Braun Medical Inc.