EPA to Host June Community Meeting for Hanover and Jessup Residents

May 16, 2023

PHILADELPHIA (May 16, 2023) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a community meeting for residents of Hanover and Jessup, Maryland to share information about health risks from the chemical, ethylene oxide or EtO. The community meeting will take place in the Jessup Community Hall on June 8 at 6 p.m. During the meeting, EPA staff will discuss revised risk information related to the Elite Spice Inc. commercial sterilizer facilities, located at 1415 Magellan Drive in Hanover and 7151 Montevideo Road in Jessup.

EPA has proposed an Air Toxics Rule for EtO Sterilizers which is out for public comment.  The agency is sharing EtO emissions data and information with the public to solicit feedback.  EPA aims to improve public understanding of the risk; help states, Tribes, communities, and the industry reduce risk from EtO in the near-term; and hear input as the agency continues to develop regulations to reduce air pollution from commercial sterilizers.

EPA will be joined by federal and state environmental and health officials to address questions, comments, and concerns from the public, including Maryland’s Department of the Environment staff who will discuss work they are doing in partnership with Elite Spice, Inc. to reduce emissions and risk.

Location:   Jessup Community Hall

                        2920 Jessup Road

                        Jessup, Maryland 20794

Time:              6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

To register for this in-person meeting, visit:

• https://www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide/forms/jessup-maryland-elite-spice-inc, or
• https://www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide/forms/hanover-maryland-elite-spice-inc

To comment on EPA’s proposed Air Toxics Rule for Sterilization, visit:  https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0244-0044

For more information about the EPA’s efforts to address ethylene oxide.

To contact us, go to:  eto@epa.gov.