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Do You Qualify?
Eligibility Checklist
- Lived or worked within 5 miles of an ethylene oxide-emitting facility
- Exposure period of at least 1 year
- Diagnosed with lymphoma, breast cancer, leukemia, stomach cancer, or other EtO-linked cancers
- Diagnosis occurred during or after the exposure period
Do You Qualify? Take the Free Screening
Ethylene Oxide Exposure Assessment
This assessment helps determine whether your proximity to an ethylene oxide-emitting facility and your medical history may support a legal claim for EtO-related cancer.
Takes about 2 minutes · 6 questions
Ethylene Oxide Cancer Lawsuit Settlement Tiers
Settlement values in EtO cancer cases depend on the type and severity of cancer, proximity to the emitting facility, duration of exposure, and economic damages including medical costs and lost income.
Tier 1 — Proximity & Single Cancer Diagnosis
SignificantSettlement Range
Criteria
- Lived within 5 miles of EtO-emitting facility for 1+ years
- Single cancer diagnosis (lymphoma, breast cancer, leukemia, or other EtO-linked cancer)
- Cancer treated successfully without recurrence
- Moderate economic damages
Tier 2 — Multiple Cancers or Long-Term Exposure
SevereSettlement Range
Criteria
- Lived within 1-2 miles of facility for 10+ years, or occupational exposure
- Multiple cancer diagnoses or recurrent cancer
- Significant ongoing treatment and economic impact
- Cancer requiring aggressive treatment (transplant, extended chemotherapy)
Tier 3 — Wrongful Death or Catastrophic Disease
CatastrophicSettlement Range
Criteria
- Death from EtO-linked cancer
- Terminal cancer diagnosis with limited life expectancy
- Long-term occupational exposure with aggressive cancer
- Multiple family members with EtO-linked cancers in same household
These ranges are based on verdicts and settlements in Georgia and Illinois EtO cases. Individual values depend on case-specific facts, applicable state law, and negotiation outcomes.
Ethylene Oxide Exposure Risk Profiles
Your risk depends on how close you lived or worked to an EtO-emitting facility and for how long.
Facility Workers
Occupational
Common Tasks
- Operating sterilization chambers
- Loading/unloading EtO equipment
- Working in poorly ventilated areas
Key Stat: Workers face the highest exposure levels, often hundreds of times above ambient community levels
Nearby Residents (< 1 mile)
Environmental
Common Tasks
- Living in homes downwind of facility
- Children playing in affected areas
- Outdoor activities near facility
Key Stat: EPA modeling shows cancer risks up to 100+ per million for residents within 1 mile
Community Members (1-5 miles)
Environmental
Common Tasks
- Living in broader community
- Commuting through affected areas
- Working at nearby businesses
Key Stat: Elevated but lower risk, depending on wind patterns and terrain
Individual risk depends on many factors including duration of exposure, prevailing winds, and individual health. Consult an attorney for a case-specific evaluation.
Regulatory Actions on Ethylene Oxide
Updated IRIS cancer risk assessment — 30x increase in estimated carcinogenicity
Ordered Sterigenics Willowbrook facility to cease all EtO emissions
Required installation of additional emission controls at Sterigenics Smyrna facility
Finalized new emission standards dramatically reducing allowable EtO releases from sterilization facilities
Significance Legend
Key Takeaway
Regulatory agencies at every level have recognized the danger of ethylene oxide emissions, but many facilities operated for years or decades above safe levels before action was taken.
Notable Verdicts & Settlements
Kamuda v. Sterigenics (Cobb County, GA)
Jury VerdictFirst major ethylene oxide trial verdict. Jury awarded $363M including punitive damages to a woman diagnosed with breast cancer after living near the Sterigenics Smyrna, GA facility.
Cook County Sterigenics Settlements (Illinois)
SettlementSeries of settlements totaling over $408M for residents of Willowbrook, IL and surrounding communities who developed cancers attributed to EtO emissions from the Sterigenics facility.
Copeland v. Sterigenics (Cobb County, GA — Worker Claim)
SettlementSettlement for a former Sterigenics worker in Smyrna, Georgia who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after 12 years of employment inside the sterilization facility. The worker alleged daily occupational exposure to EtO at levels far exceeding EPA safe exposure thresholds. The case was notable for including testimony from a former facility safety officer who stated that air monitoring alarms were routinely disabled during high-volume sterilization runs.
Scientific Evidence
Ethylene Oxide and Risk of Lymphoid Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Occupational Cohort Studies
Steenland K, Whelan E, Deddens J, Stayner L, Ward E (2020). Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Key Findings
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk was elevated 56% in highest-exposure workers (RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.18-2.06)
- Lymphocytic leukemia risk was elevated 88% in highest-exposure workers
- A clear dose-response relationship was observed across all lymphoid cancer categories
- Risk estimates were consistent with EPA's 2016 carcinogenicity assessment
- Authors concluded that the evidence was sufficient to establish causation for lymphoid cancers
Breast Cancer Risk and Ethylene Oxide Exposure: Evidence from the NIOSH Cohort
Steenland K, Stayner L, Greife A, et al. (2019). American Journal of Epidemiology
Key Findings
- Breast cancer mortality was significantly elevated among female EtO workers (SMR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05-1.86)
- Risk increased with duration of employment and estimated cumulative EtO exposure
- The association was specific to breast cancer and not explained by confounding from other occupational exposures
- These findings supported the EPA's 2016 decision to add breast cancer to the EtO cancer risk assessment
- Findings are directly relevant to claims by women who lived near EtO facilities
Ethylene Oxide-Linked Cancers
Medical Definition
Ethylene oxide exposure is associated with increased risk of several cancers, particularly lymphoid cancers (non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia, myeloma) and breast cancer. These cancers develop when EtO-induced DNA damage leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation.
Symptoms
Unexplained weight loss
Warning signPersistent fatigue
EarlySwollen lymph nodes
Warning signNight sweats
Warning signBreast lumps
Warning signRisk Factors
- Proximity to EtO-emitting facility
- Duration of exposure (years)
- Occupational exposure (facility workers)
- Family history of cancer
- Exposure during childhood (higher vulnerability)
Treatment Options
Your Legal Team
Robert Kim
Senior Partner
Atlanta, GA
Robert Kim's chemistry background gives him a unique advantage in ethylene oxide litigation — he understands the science as well as the law. His 20-year practice in environmental toxic tort has included landmark cases against industrial polluters throughout the Southeast. Robert was part of the trial team in the Kamuda v. Sterigenics case that produced the $363 million verdict in Cobb County — the first major EtO trial verdict in the country. He continues to represent hundreds of Georgia residents with EtO exposure claims.
Education
- J.D., Emory University School of Law (2004)
- B.S., Chemistry, Georgia Tech (2001)
Amanda Foster
Partner
Chicago, IL
Amanda Foster has been at the forefront of the Willowbrook, Illinois ethylene oxide litigation since its inception in 2018. She has represented hundreds of Cook County residents against Sterigenics and its parent company Sotera Health, and has been instrumental in securing over $400 million in settlements for Illinois claimants. Amanda serves on the board of the Illinois Environmental Law Alliance and is a recognized expert in the intersection of environmental science and toxic tort litigation.
Education
- J.D., Northwestern Pritzker School of Law (2010)
- B.S., Environmental Science, University of Illinois (2007)
Frequently Asked Questions
Ethylene Oxide Lawsuit Filing Deadlines
The statute of limitations for ethylene oxide cancer claims is typically triggered by the cancer diagnosis — not by the exposure itself, which may have occurred years or decades earlier.
The Diagnosis-Based Discovery Rule
In most states, the statute of limitations for toxic exposure cancer cases does not start running until the plaintiff is diagnosed with cancer and knows (or should know) that the cancer may be linked to toxic exposure. For ethylene oxide cases, this means the clock typically starts when you receive a cancer diagnosis — not when you first lived near the facility. This is the discovery rule applied to environmental tort claims.
Real-World Examples
A woman lived near the Sterigenics Willowbrook facility from 1990 to 2010. She was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022.
The Illinois 2-year SOL likely begins in 2022 at diagnosis (with the discovery rule). She has until approximately 2024 to file. If she connects her diagnosis to EtO exposure in 2023, the discovery rule may extend the window further.
A man worked inside a sterilization facility from 2000-2015. He was diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia in 2021.
For occupational exposure in most states, the SOL begins at diagnosis. His workers' compensation claim may have different deadlines from his third-party tort claims. An attorney should evaluate both.
Bottom Line
If you have been diagnosed with lymphoma, breast cancer, leukemia, or another EtO-linked cancer and lived or worked near an EtO facility, the filing clock may be running. Contact an attorney immediately after your diagnosis.
In-Depth Guides
Lymphoma from EtO Exposure
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most strongly linked cancer to ethylene oxide exposure, with studies showing elevated rates of lymphoid cancers in both facility workers and nearby community members.
Read guideTrump ETO Regulatory Rollback
On July 17, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation invoking Clean Air Act §112(i)(4) to grant 41 ethylene oxide sterilization facilities a 2-year delay in complying with the EPA's 2024 NESHAP emission standards. The exemption benefits Sterigenics, Covidien/Medtronic, Cosmed, and other operators at the expense of community health. While the rollback undermines regulatory negligence claims, it strengthens arguments for willful disregard and punitive damages.
Read guideBreast Cancer & Ethylene Oxide
Breast cancer linked to EtO exposure was at the center of the landmark $363 million Sterigenics verdict in Georgia — the first major EtO trial to produce a jury verdict.
Read guideSterigenics Lawsuits
Sterigenics International, now a subsidiary of Sotera Health, faces hundreds of lawsuits in Georgia and Illinois from community members who developed cancer after living near its facilities.
Read guideFacility Worker Exposure Claims
Workers inside EtO sterilization and chemical manufacturing facilities face the highest exposure levels — often hundreds of times greater than community ambient levels — and have the strongest causation cases.
Read guideEtO Warehouse Off-Gassing Claims
Ethylene oxide off-gasses from sterilized medical devices stored in warehouses operated by BD, Medline, and other manufacturers. Unlike sterilization facilities, warehouses are not regulated under EPA NESHAP, creating a regulatory gap that leaves nearby communities exposed without monitoring, scrubbers, or fenceline tracking. Emerging class action theories target this unregulated pathway.
Read guideState-Specific Information
Sources & References
- EPA IRIS Assessment: Ethylene Oxide (2016) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) — EtO Risk Maps — U.S. EPA
- IARC Monograph: Ethylene Oxide — Group 1 Carcinogen — International Agency for Research on Cancer