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State, Cobb halt planned testing at Sterigenics

While new legislation would toughen ethylene oxide rules

SMYRNA, Ga. — State and Cobb County authorities intervened to stop the Sterigenics plant near Smyrna from running tests on Thursday. The plant all-but shut down last summer due to concerns of ethylene oxide emissions – an issue that’s getting more notice this week at the state Capitol. 

Sterigenics has been installing new emission control equipment at its Cobb County facility – designed to contain cancer-causing ethylene oxide, which this and other plants have used to sterilize medical equipment.  

On Feb. 14, the Sterigenics plant sent a note to the state Environmental Protection Division saying it would be “testing” the equipment’s “negative pressure system” at 11 a.m. Feb. 20. 

RELATED: Plant near South Fulton facing fines for cancer-causing gas

When nearby residents caught wind of the test – they asked local and state officials to intervene.

"Officials with the state Environmental Protection Division reached out to county officials seeking a new authorization for the test after receiving conflicting information about whether further permitting or inspections were needed," Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt wrote in a statement. "County Manager Rob Hosack indicated it would take some time to specifically address the concerns" after postponing the test indefinitely.

"This is temporary. The real work is the in the legislative regulations we’re trying to get passed," said Janet Rau, a nearby resident who founded an online group called Stop Sterigenics.

At the Capitol, state lawmakers dropped bills this week to regulate the emissions of ethylene oxide. Two plants – Sterigenics in Cobb County and BD in Covington – have had repeated run-ins with state regulators already.

RELATED: 'It would be a pretty darn big hole in the ground': Hidden danger surrounds Georgia plants

Two House bills HB 927 and HB 774 would require plants using ethylene oxide to report “any spill or release of ethylene oxide, regardless of the amount” to the state within 24 hours.

Another, HB 938, would require plants to “continuously monitor direct emissions of ethylene oxide" with equipment installed at each exhaust point – and then submit a report on those emissions twice a year.

That bill would also require “ambient air monitoring” at the plant’s property boundaries and in the community beyond.

"They would be responsible – not the counties, not the cities, the local school boards, like we’ve seen," said state Rep. Erick Allen (D-Smyrna), sponsor of two of the measures. "The facility itself would be responsible for the ambient air monitoring"

RELATED: FDA sounds warning bell about negative impact of closing medical facilities emitting ethylene oxide

The legislation appears to provide a path for Sterigenics to eventually reopen – if it can install the right equipment and pass muster with state and local permit-writers.

"Pretty sure they’re going to get back up (and operating)," admitted Rau. "But if we can put commonsense regulations in place, then hopefully we can make sure things are safer."

The new bills in the legislature are significant because they have backing from Democrats and Republicans – with a strong Cobb County presence among their sponsors.

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