For decades, a sterilization plant operated by Sterigenics International in Willowbrook, Illinois, was releasing toxic levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), a gas classified as a human carcinogen, into the environment and thereby exposing local residents and workers to harmful levels of this carcinogen. As a result, Willowbrook and its surrounding area has become a hotbed for various cancers and other life-threatening illnesses, including:
- Breast Cancer
- Leukemia
- Brain and Nervous System Damage
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Lung Cancer
- Bladder and Stomach Cancer
- Birth Defects
- Miscarriages and Infertility
In 2019, Sterigenics permanently closed its Willowbrook facility under intense public pressure after the EPA published data showing that people living and working near the Willowbrook Sterigenics plant were 10 times more likely to develop cancer.
Earlier this year, the parent company of Sterigenics announced a $408 million settlement of more than 800 lawsuits then-pending against Sterigenics for ethylene oxide exposure.
Unfortunately, new diagnoses of cancer and other illnesses linked to EtO exposure continue to disproportionately impact families in Willowbrook and the surrounding areas. Passen Powell Jenkins is representing dozens of individuals with recent diagnoses related to this toxic exposure.
