Salvi Law Sterigenics team attends Stop Sterigenics Lobby Day at Illinois State Capitol

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (February 20, 2019) – The Salvi Law Sterigenics team attended the “Stop Sterigenics Lobby Day” in Springfield on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

A productive day was had as our attorneys joined members of the community to meet with Illinois lawmakers to discuss finding a permanent solution for keeping residents safe from toxic emissions of ethylene oxide. The Salvi Law team was also joined by attorneys from Romanucci & Blandin, LLC.

Lobby Day took place just days after the Illinois EPA filed a Seal Order to shut down the facility Friday after tests showed elevated concentrations of ethylene oxide in the air.

Lawmakers filed several bills Tuesday aimed at protecting residents and banning uncontrolled emissions. Legislators are now also broadening their scope and will look into facilities in Waukegan and Gurnee as well.

“We need to act, as the legislature here, on a permanent basis. We need to make sure that proper policies and protections are in place to ensure that we do not have a situation like this again,” Illinois State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said during a press conference.

Also Tuesday, an Illinois House Committee held a hearing where residents took part in a panel to discuss their health struggles after living near the plant for many years. Willowbrook resident Sue Kamuda, who is represented by Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, was one of the brave residents to share her story before the committee. The panel was lead by State Rep. Sam Yingling (D) of Grayslake.

“This health crisis has now evolved into an unmanageable situation, with tens of thousands of residents being exposed to direct harm by this cancer-causing agent,” he told the committee.

During the hearing, residents also called for air testing to be conducted by an independent third party company, not picked by Sterigenics.

Below are some photos from Lobby Day: