Steri-Tech, Inc. in Salinas, Puerto Rico, has become a focal point in the community's struggle with severe environmental contamination, particularly due to ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions, a gas known to cause cancer. The situation escalated when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that Salinas has one of the highest concentrations of EtO in any U.S. jurisdiction.
Steri-Tech uses EtO to sterilize medical equipment, a process that contributes significantly to the town's pollution. The EPA's data highlights the gravity of the situation, showing that Salinas has a high cancer rate, with 140 cases reported in 2019, and faces elevated levels of carcinogenic chemicals, including styrene and EtO.