Abstract
Texas says ethylene oxide is far less hazardous than the US Environmental Protection Agency determined in 2016. The carcinogenic gas is a key building block for pharmaceuticals and plastics and is used to sterilize medical equipment. The chemical sector is a major emitter of this toxic pollutant. On May 15, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) set a risk-screening level of 2.4 ppb ethylene oxide inhaled cumulatively over a lifetime. The agency will use the number in decisions regarding air pollution permits. In contrast, the EPA’s 2016 assessment concluded that there is a one-in-a-million chance of developing cancer from inhaling 0.1 parts per trillion of ethylene oxide over a lifetime. The TCEQ’s action will make it easier for chemical companies to get air pollution permits from the commission for new facilities or plant expansions. It will also bolster the chemical industry’s fight against stricter EPA regulation. The Ethylene Oxide
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