Scientists & Legal Experts to Update Community
Event to Feature Question & Answer Session, Community Next Steps
LAREDO, TX – This Thursday evening, RGISC and Clean Air Laredo Coalition will host a community gathering with experts to provide critical updates on ongoing health concerns related to ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions affecting our community.
Scientists and attorneys from Massachusetts, New Orleans and Washington, D.C will provide details on a seven week Laredo air monitoring study around the fenceline of Midwest Sterilization Corp. and legal updates related to U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules on this cancer-causing air toxic.
Midwest Sterilization Laredo still ranks among the most polluting facilities in the nation, releasing thousands of pounds of EtO, a Class 1 human carcinogen, into the air every year. These emissions have elevated cancer level risks in Laredo to some of the highest in the United States.
"Every breath we take should not come with the risk of cancer. This is a matter of public health, safety, and justice for our children, our families, and the future of our community." said Edgar Villasenor, RGISC Advocacy Campaign Manager.
Villasenor worked with nearly 100 volunteers who put up thousands of flyers in 13 subdivisions in north and northwest Laredo, in advance of the Thursday townhall.
“There is no acceptable amount of carcinogenic gas that a child should breathe,” said volunteer Angel Olmos of Nopal, a community-based volunteer organization. “We need to stay informed to make change on this ethylene oxide threat.”
EtO is an odorless and colorless gas; it one of the most dangerous air pollutants regulated by the EPA, known for its mutagenic properties and significant health risks.
Alarmingly, 22 campuses in Laredo rank in the top 3 percentile nationwide for industrial toxic air pollution with two schools - Muller ES and Ramirez MS - in the top 1 percentile, according to the interactive tool “Air Toxics at School” by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. These Laredo rankings are driven by emissions from the Laredo sterilization facility.
”Let’s protect the people and especially the children!,”said District VII Councilmember Vanessa Perez.
This event will feature a comprehensive presentation on the air study data analysis and how Laredo compares to other cities affected by ethylene oxide.
Key Speakers:
“We urge all community members to participate in this crucial town hall to learn, raise questions, and advocate for our right to clean air and a healthy environment for our children and families,” Villasenor said. “Join us in the fight for our health. Together, we can make a difference!”
