How to find out if a facility operated near a former address
Common documents used to reconstruct old addresses include tax returns, utility bills, lease agreements, mortgage documents, school records, voter registration records, and driver's license records. Many people researching EtO exposure are working from addresses dating back to the 1980s, 1990s, or early 2000s.
Once a former address is identified, the EPA provides public databases that allow users to locate facilities that reported ethylene oxide emissions, including the Toxics Release Inventory and the National Emissions Inventory. Mapping tools such as Google Maps, Google Earth, and county GIS systems can then be used to estimate the distance between the former residence and the facility. If that distance falls within roughly three miles, and the facility was actively operating during the relevant years, the residential history may be worth a closer review.
Distance alone is not the only factor. Investigators also consider how many years a person lived within that radius, whether any of those years occurred during childhood, and whether the person later developed a cancer associated with EtO exposure, such as lymphoma, leukemia, or breast cancer.
ELG Law can help you file your claim
If you once lived near an EtO-emitting facility and have received a cancer diagnosis since, ELG Law can look at your history and determine whether you may have an ethylene oxide claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.