For years, American Contract Systems (ACS) released ethylene oxide into the air around nearby homes, schools, and workplaces. The gas was vented without proper filtration. Filters that could have removed almost all emissions were not installed for a long time. Residents did not know the plant was using this chemical. City officials did not know either. Regulators did not require ACS to install controls because of gaps in federal rules that did not cover the type of sterilization method the company used.
Over time, people who lived or worked near the plant began reporting cancer diagnoses. At least twenty individuals have come forward. Several of them are suing ACS and BayCare. Some of the plaintiffs are cancer patients. One man has multiple myeloma. A woman has undergone surgery for breast cancer. These details show the real human impact of the exposure.
This case is part of a larger national discussion about how ethylene oxide should be regulated. In 2026, the Trump administration proposed weakening upcoming federal rules on this chemical. The administration said the change would protect medical supply chains and reduce costs for sterilization companies. Critics argue that loosening the rules ignores the scientific findings about ethylene oxide’s toxicity. The EPA’s own assessments show that the chemical is far more harmful than previously understood, especially for children.
Opponents of deregulation also point to cases like Tampa Bay. They argue that companies already avoided installing filters because the rules were unclear. Weakening the regulations would make it easier for facilities to continue operating without strong controls. It would also reduce transparency in a system that already failed to inform a community about a carcinogenic exposure.