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Rep. Jody Hice Announces New Task Force to Regulate Carcinogen

congress.gov

A new task force is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to act on regulating the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions. 

U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA-10) who represents the Athens area, announced the formation of a bipartisan congressional task force to address the threat of EtO, according to a press release.

In 2016, the EPA listed EtO, an industrial chemical used to sterilize medical equipment, as a known carcinogen. Despite this, the EPA has not released regulations on the chemical’s use, the press release said.

EtO is found in anti-freeze, for example.

“The well-being of our constituents must always be our first priority, and it is a responsibility that extends across party lines and political ideologies,” Hice said in the release. “By joining together in this Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Ethylene Oxide, we multiply the strength of our voices to better serve our constituents and ensure their safety.”

One site in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District has seen public concern, according to the release, although the exact location was not named.

HR 1152, introduced by Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), would also require the EPA to notify the public no more than 30 days after it learns that the new standards have been violated. Co-sponsors include representatives from three states: Georgia, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

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