Ethylene Oxide Exposure Lawsuit : What to Know About Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Exposure and Cancer Risk

Ethylene Oxide Exposure Lawsuit: What Victims Need to Know

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is an industrial gas commonly used to sterilize medical equipment and food products — but it’s also a recognized carcinogen.

Communities living near EtO-emitting facilities and workers inside them face a growing risk of cancer due to chronic exposure. The EPA and CDC have both raised alarms about long-term inhalation of EtO and its link to breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and other life-altering conditions.

At Hiatt Law Group, we are helping victims understand their legal rights and pursue financial compensation for harm caused by toxic exposure.

What Is Ethylene Oxide and Where Is It Used?

EtO is a flammable, colorless gas that sterilizes medical tools, surgical instruments, spices, and certain food packaging materials.

It’s often emitted by facilities involved in:

• Medical device sterilization (e.g., Sterigenics, B. Braun)

• Food production and packaging

• Industrial manufacturing and chemical processing

  
  

Unfortunately, long-term exposure — even at low levels — is now associated with elevated cancer risk.

Read more about EtO health risks from the EPA

What Illnesses Are Linked to EtO Exposure?

Scientific studies and legal cases have linked EtO exposure to:

• Breast cancer

• Leukemia (especially lymphocytic and myeloid subtypes)

• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

• Reproductive harm and other chronic illnesses

  
  

These risks are highest for individuals living or working near known EtO emitters over many years.

Major EtO Lawsuits and Verdicts

Many victims are now filing an ethylene oxide exposure lawsuit after being diagnosed with cancer linked to long-term emissions from sterilization facilities.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against companies like Sterigenics, B. Braun, and Cosmed Group for their EtO emissions.

In 2022, a Cook County jury awarded $363 million to a breast cancer survivor who lived near Sterigenics' Willowbrook, IL facility. That same year, Sterigenics paid $408 million to settle over 870 lawsuits.

These cases are based on claims of:

• Negligence

• Failure to warn nearby residents

• Excessive and avoidable toxic emissions

  
  

Can You File an Ethylene Oxide Exposure Lawsuit?

While there’s no dedicated trust fund (unlike asbestos claims), you may still be eligible to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

To qualify:

• You must have lived or worked near an EtO-emitting facility

• You must have a medical diagnosis of a linked illness

• Legal teams can help gather exposure history, medical records, and documentation

• 
  

How Hiatt Law Group Can Help

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with a serious illness after EtO exposure, we can help:

• Document where and how you were exposed

• Gather medical records and expert opinions

• Build a strong claim and pursue compensation

• Provide compassionate, honest guidance through the process

  
  

📞 Call 662-636-6291 for a FREE, no-pressure consultation today.

Learn More:

• Ethylene Oxide Exposure Services

• Other Toxic Exposure Cases We Handle

• About Hiatt Law Group