October 18, 2021
Lawsuit Investigation: B. Braun Ethylene Oxide and Cancer
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Table of Contents
Individuals living and working in the vicinity of a medical sterilization plant operated by B. Braun in Lehigh County, PA have been unknowingly exposed to a carcinogenic gas for years.
B. Braun, a German medical and pharmaceutical device company that operates a medical products sterilization plant at 901 Marcon Boulevard in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been venting ethylene oxide (EtO) for decades. It is an odorless and colorless gas that is an environmental contaminant with serious health implications.What is ethylene oxide?
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound used to sterilize medical products because it is less damaging to them than other methods. However, it is also toxic to humans and associated with an elevated risk of developing certain cancers. According to the EPA, hazardous air pollutants containing ethylene oxide pollution are responsible for increased cancer risks for more than 500,000 people nationwide.Ethylene oxide cancer risk
Ethylene oxide has been linked to a number of cancers, including:- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphocytic leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Brain cancer
Ethylene oxide exposure
Exposure to ethylene oxide in Allentown and nearby Bethlehem may result in 600 additional cancer cases per million individuals. Early onset symptoms of exposure include:- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath