WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today issued the following statement on newly proposed standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect workers and communities from exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO).

“For years, I have called for greater oversight and transparency surrounding ethylene oxide emissions. While the previous administration downplayed the health risks from exposure to this chemical and failed to protect the public, I’m pleased to see the Biden administration take a different course. EPA’s science-based proposals prioritize the health and safety of workers at facilities that emit ethylene oxide and those living in nearby communities. These proposed rules would reduce emissions of ethylene oxide by 80 percent and help save lives, which we should all be able to support.”