EPA Forges Ahead On EO Actions Without Completing Review Of The Controversial IRIS Value Or Its Use In Rulemaking

Key Takeaways

• Ethylene Oxide (EO) remains a high priority for the Biden Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from both a risk and an environmental justice standpoint. Expect that spotlight to continue next year and beyond.
• In response to criticism from its Office of Inspector General (OIG), EPA has moved forward with a number of proposed resolutions. These include:
  • Multiple public meetings to inform communities about the alleged risks the Agency argues EO poses. Most of these meetings were held in Texas and Louisiana at EO manufacturing facilities; several meetings were quite contentious.
  • Information requests for EO - and chloroprene - emitting source categories. Over the summer, EPA extended last year's information request in connection with its review of the Sterilizer MACT. EPA also recently announced plans to issue an information request to EO manufacturers as part of its review of the Hazardous Organics NESHAP (HON).