The Sterigenics Willowbrook plant, a medical sterilization facility located in Willowbrook, Illinois, operated from 1984 until its closure in 2019.
The facility utilized ethylene oxide (EtO), a potent sterilizing agent, to sterilize medical devices.
EtO is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), indicating sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.
In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted air monitoring around the Willowbrook facility and detected elevated levels of EtO in the surrounding community.
The EPA’s risk assessment concluded that long-term exposure to EtO emissions from the Sterigenics plant could increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including breast cancer, lymphocytic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Residents living near the facility reported a range of health issues, leading to numerous lawsuits against Sterigenics and its parent company, Sotera Health.
In 2022, a Cook County jury awarded $363 million to a woman who developed breast cancer after living near the plant for decades.
Subsequently, in 2023, Sterigenics agreed to a $408 million settlement to resolve hundreds of lawsuits related to EtO exposure from the Willowbrook facility.
In April 2025, Sotera Health (Sterigenics’ parent company) settled an additional 97 cancer claims for $30.9 million.
Key points regarding the Sterigenics Willowbrook facility and associated health concerns:
- Facility Operations: The plant operated from 1984 to 2019, using EtO to sterilize medical equipment.
- Hazardous Emissions: EPA monitoring in 2018 revealed elevated EtO levels in the surrounding community.
- Health Risks: Long-term exposure to EtO is linked to increased risks of breast cancer, lymphocytic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Legal Actions: A significant jury award and subsequent settlements addressed claims from residents who developed cancer and other health complications.
- Regulatory Response: The Illinois EPA issued a seal order in February 2019, leading to the facility’s closure in September 2019.
The EPA’s risk assessment estimated that local residents living near the facility faced lifetime cancer risks as high as 1,000 in 1 million, significantly exceeding the agency’s acceptable risk threshold of 100 in 1 million.
If you have suffered from toxic exposure related to ethylene oxide emissions at the Willowbrook Sterigenics facility, you may be eligible to file a Sterigenics Lawsuit and seek financial compensation.
Contact TorHoerman Law today for a free consultation.
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Emissions Data for the Sterigenics Willowbrook Plant
As we’ve established, the Sterigenics Willowbrook plant, operated by Sterigenics International, utilized ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical equipment.
EtO is a toxic gas classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted air monitoring around the facility and detected elevated levels of EtO in the surrounding community.
The EPA’s risk assessment concluded that long-term exposure to EtO emissions from the Sterigenics plant could increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including breast cancer and lymphohematopoietic cancers (lymphocytic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma).
Prior to the implementation of enhanced emission controls in 2018, the Sterigenics Willowbrook facility emitted approximately 4,000 pounds of EtO annually.
Following the installation of additional pollution controls to reduce emissions in July 2018, emissions were projected to decrease substantially.
In a modeled future scenario where all emission points were routed through a single 87-foot stack equipped with control devices, annual emissions were estimated to be around 26 pounds .
Ultimately, the facility ceased operations on September 30, 2019, leading to an estimated reduction of over 4,600 pounds of EtO emissions per year.
Ambient Air Monitoring Data for the Company’s Willowbrook Facility
Between November 2018 and March 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted ambient air monitoring around the Sterigenics facility.
Findings include:
- At the two monitoring sites closest to the facility, average EtO concentrations were slightly over 2 micrograms per cubic meter, with peak readings reaching 10 to 11 micrograms per cubic meter.
- Community-oriented monitors located downwind recorded EtO concentrations occasionally as high as 1.7 micrograms per cubic meter.
- Upwind community monitors generally measured EtO concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Environmental Protection Agency Health Risk Assessment
The EPA’s risk assessment, based on pre-2019 operational data, indicated elevated cancer risks for individuals residing or working near the facility.
Specifically, estimated lifetime cancer risks ranged from 200 to 1,000 cases per million people in areas adjacent to the facility.
In contrast, a hypothetical future scenario with stringent emission controls projected risks below 100 cases per million, potentially as low as 1 case per million .
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) concluded in July 2018 that if the measured and modeled EtO concentrations represented typical ambient levels, there was an elevated cancer risk for residents and offsite workers in the Willowbrook community, constituting a public health hazard.
Regulatory Actions and Facility Closure
In response to the identified health risks, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a seal order in February 2019, effectively halting operations at the Sterigenics Willowbrook facility.
Subsequently, Sterigenics announced the permanent closure of the facility in September 2019.
