Ethylene Oxide Use at Gurnee

In recent years, a number of community members and elected officials have voiced concerns about potential risks associated with Ethylene Oxide (EO or EtO). As a longstanding corporate resident of Gurnee, Vantage takes these concerns seriously and we want to share factual information about our use of EO.

• The Vantage plant in Gurnee uses EO in a closed production process to make ingredients used in everyday products, including household cleaners, cosmetics and shampoos.
• Vantage operates in full compliance with regulations and emits EO below its permit level.
• Vantage has real-time EO monitoring at the lowest detection levels possible and would not operate if this system indicated elevated emissions.

ATSDR Report: June 2024

On June 21, 2024, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) issued a draft Health Consultation report regarding ethylene oxide concentrations near Vantage and Medline facilities in Lake County, IL. Vantage does not believe the report contains any new information or that there is evidence of an increased cancer risk based on the data available.

• The ATSDR analysis concerns theoretical (not actual) cancer risk based on unlikely, worst-case scenario assumptions.
• As the ATSDR itself emphasized its risk estimates from EO exposure “are not actual cancer cases, do not represent the actual cases of cancer in Lake County communities, and are not estimates of an individual’s cancer risk.”

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Study on Actual Cancer Rates in the Gurnee Community

ATSDR acknowledges that the best evidence we have about the potential health effects of EO comes from NIOSH worker studies. Those studies found no actual increase in cancer rates among workers even at exposures more than 1,000 times higher than those in the areas around Vantage.

The Illinois Department of Health had previously reviewed actual cancer rates in Lake County (2018). The ILDPH study and the ATSDR’s assessment of the most likely exposure scenarios show that Vantage’s emissions are safe.

Congressional Response to ATSDR Report

In response to the ATSDR’s report, U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued a joint statement, saying the report “shows that stringent emissions controls and ambient air monitoring appear to be effective in helping ensure the air is safe to breathe for residents living near facilities that use ethylene oxide.”

Vantage is voluntarily evaluating options for additional air monitoring at the site’s fence-line with input from public health agencies as recommended by ATSDR and echoed by the congressional delegation. 

Investments in Continuous Improvement 

Vantage invests in continuous improvement at our Gurnee, IL site. We have invested more than $10 million in improvements since 2019. This supports our commitment to minimize emissions and reduce our environmental footprint. These actions include:

• Vantage invested in an additional scrubber prior to the state of Illinois mandating new standards in 2019. This new scrubber has virtually eliminated stack emissions.
• A Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) Program has frequent and sensitive monitoring to identify and eliminate potential sources of small leaks as EO moves through pipes, joints and components in the plant. This program was developed in discussion with the Illinois EPA (IEPA) and is now required for plants that use EO by IEPA permit.

SAFETY AT OUR GURNEE, IL PLANT   

Vantage partners with federal, state, and local safety regulators, including the U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA, and local authorities to operate safely. In particular, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires Vantage to comply with its Process Safety Management standards, which include 14 elements/requirements, from comprehensive hazard assessments and employee training to on-site inspections.

As part of, and in addition to, compliance with these regulations and standards, Vantage has invested in equipment to keep its plant, workers, and the surrounding community safe. This includes:

Equipment

• Air monitors throughout the plant to detect if levels of gas are reaching unsafe levels. If so, the plant automatically shuts down.

• A powerful deluge (sprinkler system) that suppresses vapors.

• Automated process controls as well as one-button shutdown capabilities that keep our manufacturing process operating safely and shutdown equipment to a safe state should any unplanned event occur.

Precautions

• Our Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) Program utilizes a 3rd party to check the entire system each month for any leaks. If leaks are detected, they are repaired immediately.

• Vantage employs an automated system that tracks every ingredient that enters the EO process, allowing us to detect, in real time, if there is a problem in the plant.

• We have rigorous internal maintenance procedures for inspections, with regular checks for every component of the EO system.

• Emergency response plan reviewed and updated annually.

• Workforce well trained for handling of EO through routine drills and continuing education.

Partnerships

• We are in regular communication with the Gurnee Fire Department, Gurnee Police Department and Lake County Emergency Management Agency.

• The Gurnee Fire Department, Gurnee Police Department and Lake County Emergency Management Agency are offered to visit, tour, and train at Vantage’s Gurnee plant annually.

• Each agency reviews Vantage’s emergency response plan.