Why proximity to an EtO facility matters for the exposure level
Ethylene oxide disperses through the air after it is released from a facility, but concentration levels are not uniform across a wide area. Residents living closest to an emitting facility are exposed to higher concentrations of the gas than those living further away. At three miles, a resident is within a range where EtO concentrations from facility emissions remain meaningfully elevated compared to background air quality levels. Beyond that distance, the concentrations tend generally to fall off as the gas spreads out and dilutes over a larger area.
This is why proximity is one of the primary factors researchers and attorneys examine when evaluating potential exposure. Someone who lived a half mile from a sterilization facility for ten years would have faced a substantially different exposure profile than someone living twelve or fifteen miles away.
Find out if your address and diagnosis qualify with ELG Law
If you lived within three miles of an ethylene oxide facility and have been diagnosed with breast cancer, ELG Law can review your residential history and medical records at no cost. Reach out to ELG Law today to find out whether your documents support a breast cancer claim.