A short history of Sterigenics US and ethylene oxide emissions
Sterigenics runs a sterilization facility for medical equipment and various products in Vernon, California, which spans approximately 5.2 square miles in Los Angeles County. Sterigenics operates two facilities in Vernon, located just a few miles south of downtown LA, with approximately 40 employees. Each year, the facility produces over 45 million sterilized medical supplies to nearly a hundred healthcare companies.
Ethylene oxide is widely used as a sterilizing agent because its gas molecules can destroy microbial DNA, which is its primary way of killing microorganisms. However, these sterilizing properties also make EtO a threat to human health for Sterigenics workers and nearby residents in LA County. Even at low levels of exposure, EtO can bind to hemoglobin or DNA, forming "adducts" or cause DNA damage. With chronic exposure, these alterations may lead to an increased risk of cancer. Several cancers have been strongly linked to ethylene oxide exposure, including leukemia, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, liver cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer (male and female). Sterigenics has faced hundreds of lawsuits from affected workers and residents, alleging that their cancer was associated with ethylene oxide exposure.
Ethylene oxide claims against Sterigenics: recent lawsuits and settlements
Sterigenics had faced numerous lawsuits in the past for ethylene oxide claims involving their facilities in other states.
Seventeen residents of a nearby city, Maywood, have sued Sterigenics U.S. LLC for allegedly releasing toxic gas for decades. At least twelve of the residents have been diagnosed with cancer, while some are filing for their relatives who passed away from cancer. Plaintiffs are demanding compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs, lost income, and the mental damages from illness or death ot their family member. In a statement released on the Sotera Health website, Sterigenics has denied responsibility for any diseases.
File your ethylene oxide exposure claim with ELG Law
In addition to a diagnosis of an EtO-related cancer, your claim must be supported by your history of ethylene oxide exposure at Sterigenics US. You may be able to file claims if you were a facility employee or you lived within four miles of a Sterigenics sterilization facility in Vernon. Additionally, a family member of a worker or resident who passed away from cancer after chronic exposure to EtO may file a wrongful death claim for their loved one.
If you have more questions about your eligibility for an ethylene oxide claim against Sterigenics, do not hesitate to contact us. Our attorneys can evaluate your medical documents along with your employment or residency records to evaluate your claim.