Eyewitness News Investigates: DEP and EPA examining ethylene oxide emissions

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — Ethylene oxide has been used in the Kanawha Valley since the 1950s. With its long history of hosting chemical plants, the area has been monitored for decades by both national and state agencies.

Over the last several years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has re-evaluated the cancer risk posed by ethylene oxide. Using data collected in 2014, along with updated EtO toxicity values unveiled in 2016, the National Air Toxics assessment showed long-term exposure risks were greater than previously thought.

"That risk increased, increased anywhere from 30 to 60-fold," West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Harold Ward said. "Not percent, 30 to 60-fold. So, it became, it was a very significant change in determining the levels that are permissible to be emitted into the atmosphere."

The risk is determined by measuring the chance of cancer at a level of one in a million. That means if a million people were exposed to the same concentration of EtO 24 hours a day over a 70-year period, one person would likely contract cancer.

"If they were exposed to the high level being initially reported by the industries, that would increase their risk based on full exposure, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a period of 70 years," Ward said.

With the EPA changing how it viewed the significant risk of ethylene oxide, the number of people at risk went up at South Charleston's Union Carbide plant, at the Covestro plant in South Charleston and at Institute's Union Carbide facility.

"To quantify that and put it into perspective with those numbers," Ward said. "You know, counting those numbers as they're provided, that would be in addition to the normal cancer rates that exist in all communities across the country, that would be an increase of 0.0325% of the people that would develop cancer who normally wouldn't."

"Less than one half of one percent?" Kennie Bass asked.

"Yes," Ward responded.

With the 2018 declaration that classified EtO as a greater cancer risk, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection started a close examination of the chemical. The information chain for residents included periodic news releases and a virtual town hall meeting last September.

The latest step was air quality testing. In late January, the DEP finished the first of four rounds of air sampling at the chemical plant fence lines,

The monitoring showed EtO concentrations at less than one part per billion. To understand how small that is, one part per billion is equal to a single second over a 32-year time span, or it's equal to a solitary drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

"You have to believe in the process and you have to have confidence in the EPA and their process," Ward said. "Because they've got dedicated people as I do here. And we're participating, cooperating with EPA Region Three at a very high level on this. It's not always a cooperative approach with EPA and we're at odds at times, But in this instance, communications with region three and the administrator there, Ortiz have exceeded my expectations on a cooperative approach to dealing with this situation."

The DEP found lower levels of ethylene oxide in the air than the EPA. Chemical concentrations are influenced by wind and weather, plant operations and background levels. That's why DEP is doing four rounds of sampling.

Despite classifying EtO as a greater risk of causing cancer over a lifetime of exposure, the EPA isn't ready to decrease the emissions allowed by law.

"Well, we have to do our due diligence on the science," EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz said. "You know, we can't rush the science. I wish we could, but the more than we rush it then we don't do our due diligence and we do something that might not be responsive to public health. I feel the urgency as much as anybody does and if I could speed up time I certainly would. But science takes time and it takes diligence. We've got to get those data sets. We've got to get those monitors from all corners of the facility. And not just this facility but other facilities as well, to make sure we know what we're looking at. And then folks at the national level, we have a team of scientists at the national level trying to find out the right kinds of responses. So, even though the final rule is expected in 2024, we're working hard and in the meantime we're educating people on what we know along the way."

In addition to testing the air, the DEP is working with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to see if there is any evidence of a surge in ethylene oxide cancers over the last seven decades.

"Of course, the cancer registry folks do an annual review of cancer hot spots in the state," West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch said. "That has not resulted in identification of Kanawha or Institute area anywhere in Kanawha County, or Institute/South Charleston area. So, we're just not sure what, exactly what the kind of issues are that are of concern out there because we haven't seen that concern. We haven't seen those hot spots. We haven't seen those numbers rise to the point to cause us concern."

The state's public health officer said the numbers don't show a bump in cancers associated with EtO exposure.

"Anytime you have, you know, information with factories or chemicals and you have one information showing something that our cancer data shows something different, all you can do is keep looking at more information and doing more studies to see what's going on on the ground," West Virginia State Public Health Officer Dr. Ayne Amjad said. "And I think that's the information that we have right now, what DEP is trying to do with all of the other agencies, EPA, the Bureau for Public Health and the cancer data that we have."

Plenty of questions remain to be answered. Those keeping an eye on the investigation said it appears, however, that state and federal regulators are working hand in hand to try and identify just how much of a true threat ethylene oxide really represents.

"The state has been responsive with us. We have been sharing information," Ortiz said. "There's been no barrier between us. And you know, this is a challenging issue. Among the family of air toxics this is a relatively new one so we want to make sure that we get the science right. But we can only do that and only have an effect on public health if we're working with local authorities."

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said we are going back to the EPA "based on what our DEP has basically been evaluating The federal government doesn't move in on the state unless they think the state's not doing the job. But there's nothing to lead me to believe that they believe that that the state hasn't done a factual job on their evaluation."

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said he has to depend on the DEP and the DEP "has done a rock-solid job and they've been completely transparent about what they're doing and they're gonna continue to work on this and if something changes, we change with it. And so we'll continue to monitor and continue to do the work."

An upcoming public meeting is also designed to answer questions local residents may have about the emissions coming from nearby plants.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she thinks it just needs to be explained to people.

"It needs to have questions asked. And these kind of meetings tend to get very emotional, as they would, if you think you're breathing in air that's going to damage you or your family," Capito said. "And so I hope that we can keep it to the facts. And my understanding, and we've asked EPA numerous times to make sure we're proceeding along the same, the correct way to make sure the levels are well below acceptable levels."

Anytime cancer is mentioned its understandable people will be very interested in as many details as possible. Eyewitness News is committed to tracking the facts on ethylene oxide, so you can make educated, fact-based decisions about the risk.

"We should be concerned but we should have faith in the process," Ward said. "Obviously if there's, if there's any increased risk it's an increased risk that has to be scrutinized, evaluated and good decisions made on it."

For information from the WV Department of Environmental Protection concerning its investigation into ethylene oxide emissions, you can go here.