Were You or Someone You Know Diagnosed with Cancer Following Exposure to Ethylene Oxide at Midwest Sterilization Corporation in Jackson, Missouri?
Call Cory Watson now if you were exposed to air contaminated with ethylene oxide (EtO) by Midwest Sterilization Corporation in Jackson, Missouri, and were later diagnosed with cancer – you may have a claim.
Ethylene Oxide is Linked to Increased Risk of Cancer and Other Health Effects
Dating back to 1985, data has showed ethylene oxide exposure poses serious health risks. In late 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially classified ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen after studies showed that inhaling the chemical for prolonged periods can cause cancer.
There is strong evidence that ethylene oxide (EtO) increases the risk of:
- Breast cancer
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Cory Watson is Here to Help You Investigate a Possible Ethylene Oxide Cancer Lawsuit
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What is Ethylene Oxide?
Ethylene oxide is a flammable, colorless reactive organic compound, typically found in gas-form given its low boiling point of 51° F. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added ethylene oxide to its list of human carcinogens after estimates showed the chemical is up to 60 times more toxic than previously believed.
What Products Contain Ethylene Oxide?
Ethylene oxide is often used as a sterilizing agent for medical equipment as well as a raw material in chemical manufacturing, including plastics, antifreeze, textiles, and detergents.
Additionally, the chemical has been used to sterilize food products such as spices, herbs, walnuts, and sesame seeds.
How is Exposure to Ethylene Oxide Occurring?
Most people who have been exposed to toxic levels of ethylene oxide have either worked with the chemical in a manufacturing or sterilization plant or dealt with “out-of-plant exposure” due to living near a plant that releases the toxic chemical into the air.
People who have consumed food products treated with ethylene oxide – especially spices – could also be at increased risk of serious disease and cancer.
Midwest Sterilization Corp. (Jackson, Missouri) Ethylene Oxide Contamination
According to the EPA, residents of Jackson, Missouri, are at far greater risk of certain forms of cancer due to elevated Ethylene Oxide (EtO) levels released into the air by Midwest Sterilization (see map below, provided by the EPA).
Midwest Sterilization Corp. – an ethylene oxide sterilization facility – has been in operation in Jackson since 1999. As is often the case with EtO, it is used to sterilize mainly medical equipment and select other materials.
The light blue in the picture below, covering most of the city of Jackson, depicts elevated lifetime cancer risks of 1 in 10,000 or greater due to breathing air emitted from the facility. In darker blue area just outside the plant, residents’ risk of developing cancer due to the facility’s emissions skyrockets to as much as 20 in 10,000.
According to the EPA, there are 22 other high-risk facilities across the United States.
Cory Watson Attorneys Can Help You Investigate a Possible Ethylene Oxide Cancer Lawsuit
If you or someone you know was exposed to air contaminated with ethylene oxide emitted from Midwest Sterilization Corp. in Jackson, MO, and were later diagnosed with cancer, you may have a claim.
Cory Watson’s team of lawyers have successfully fought to get justice and compensation for people harmed by dangerous chemicals like ethylene oxide for decades. If you’ve been harmed by ethylene oxide exposure or another toxic chemical, contact us today to discuss your case with the experienced environmental personal injury lawyers by calling (877) 562-0000.
About Cory Watson Attorneys
Cory Watson Attorneys is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. The firm has recovered more than $3 billion for clients across the country. Attorneys are frequently at the forefront of major class actions and multidistrict litigations involving dangerous pharmaceuticals and product liability and are often appointed to leadership positions in national cases. Firm practice areas include Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action, Asbestos, Business & Commercial Litigation, Dangerous Pharmaceuticals, Defective Medical Devices, and Environmental/Toxic Torts. To learn more, visit CoryWatson.com.