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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Constitution of the State of Illinois asserts
3that the public policy of the State and the duty of each person
4is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the
5benefit of this and future generations; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The General Assembly shall provide by law for the
7implementation and enforcement of this public policy; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Ethylene oxide is a known carcinogen and its
9discharge and emission into the atmosphere in high
10concentrations constitutes a threat to public health and
11safety; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
13Illinois Environmental Protection Agency are charged with the
14enforcement of our federal and State environmental laws and
15standards to ensure pollutants or discharges from Illinois
16businesses do not put the health and welfare of Illinois
17residents and workers in jeopardy; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
19completed multiple air sampling and tests around the
20Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook that discovered heightened
21levels of ethylene oxide in the air around the facility; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Following the results of those tests, the Illinois
2Environmental Protection Agency issued a seal order preventing
3the use of ethylene oxide by a facility in Willowbrook on
4February 15, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Lake County has two facilities currently
6permitted to emit and discharge ethylene oxide; and
 
7    WHEREAS, No state or federal agency has yet to conduct
8ambient air quality or sampling tests around the Lake County
9facilities that emit and discharge ethylene oxide; therefore,
10be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
13CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the U.S. Environmental
14Protection Agency to consider the serious concerns of residents
15of Lake County regarding the recent ethylene oxide emissions
16and the subsequent environmental and public health threat posed
17to the people of Illinois; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection
19Agency to conduct ambient air monitoring and testing in and
20around the two known facilities emitting or discharging
21ethylene oxide in Lake County; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Environmental
2Protection Agency to take whatever actions possible to assist
3in the ambient air monitoring and protection of the public in
4regards to the environmental and health risks posed by ethylene
5oxide emissions in Lake County.