Health Department and
Community Health Center

Mark A. Pfister, MSES, LEHP
Executive Director
3010 Grand Avenue
Waukegan, Illinois 60085
Phone: 847-377-8000

March 26, 2019

Dr. Patrick Breysse
Director
National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341

Dear Director Breysse:
Lake County, Illinois is home to Medline Industries in Waukegan, as well as Vantage Industries in
Gurnee. Based on recent Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit information, Medline reported
emissions of 1.43 tons of ethylene oxide (EtO) per year (2017 data) and Vantage reported emissions of
1.08 tons of EtO per year (2017 data). The Medline facility is very similar to the Sterigenics facility in
Willowbrook, Illinois as they sterilize medical equipment whereas the Vantage facility utilizes EtO to
create personal care and food additive products.
As the Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center
(LCHD/CHC), I am formally petitioning the National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to perform a health risk assessment based on our ambient
EtO air quality sampling results expected to be collected in June of 2019 by a vendor to be hired by Lake
County, City of Waukegan and the Village of Gurnee. Specifically, we request that ATSDR assess
whether exposure to these ambient EtO conditions pose a public health hazard to the Lake County
community. LCHD/CHC will provide ATSDR with a draft Sampling and Analysis Plan and quality
assurance project plan (QAPP) for ATSDR’s review.
Our intent is to have our vendor sample every three days for a month at a minimum of two sites near
each facility (minimum of four sampling sites for the project). We also plan to potentially add other sites
downwind from these facilities and preferably in residential areas away from major roads and industry.
We have been working with USEPA staff on developing the scope of work, sampling locations and
development of the QAPP. Your health risk assessment will provide the public with valuable information
and would advance our understanding of the potential risks to the current concentrations of EtO near
these two facilities. Additionally, we would also request that you assist with public risk communication and
healthcare provider education support as this is a challenging issue for our residents and it is requisite to
communicate fully.
Thank you for your consideration and acceptance of this petition in advance.
Sincerely,

Mark A. Pfister
Executive Director