SUBJECT
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A resolution of the City Council of the City of Laredo, Texas, supporting the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) standard for Ethylene Oxide; Opposing proposed rollbacks to Ethylene Oxide regulations; endorsing Public Health based regulatory decision making; authorizing submission of public comments; and providing for related matters.
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PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
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BACKGROUND
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with protecting human health and the environment, including regulating hazardous air pollutants such as ethylene oxide (EtO), a known carcinogen associated with increased cancer risk from long-term exposure.
The EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) provides scientifically grounded risk values that serve as a critical foundation for evaluating public health impacts and guiding regulatory protections. In April 2023, the EPA proposed amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Commercial Sterilization Facilities that would significantly reduce ethylene oxide emissions, strengthen worker protections, and improve community safety. These proposed protections included continuous emissions monitoring, enhanced controls on aeration room vents, and permanent total enclosure requirements, with an estimated reduction of ethylene oxide emissions by approximately 80 percent annually.
The City of Laredo is home to facilities that utilize ethylene oxide in commercial operations, which are subject to federal and state regulatory requirements intended to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.
Publicly available studies and regulatory assessments indicate that ambient ethylene oxide concentrations in certain areas may exceed typical background levels, and that prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations may be associated with increased health risks, including cancer
Children and other vulne...
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