LONGVIEW, Texas (WJHL) — Eastman Chemical Company is facing a federal lawsuit, which alleges that emissions of ethylene oxide from its Longview, Texas, facility are responsible for causing the plaintiffs’ breast cancer cases.

According to the lawsuit, all four women plaintiffs lived near the plant and developed breast cancer after years of exposure to ethylene oxide.

The Longview plant of Eastman is involved in producing ethylene oxide (EtO), which is a non-colored gas involved in the creation of various chemicals and products such as plastics and antifreeze. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies this gas as a human carcinogen.

The lawsuit accuses Eastman of negligently releasing “hazardous and/or excessive” quantities of EtO from the site. It points to the company’s own reports indicating substantial gas emissions extending over several decades.

“From 1987 to 2022, the Industrial Plant self-reported that it released more than 565,000 pounds of EtO into the Longview community,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit claims that the number doesn’t include more than 30,000 pounds of EtO that were released as a result of leaks and other mishaps between 2003 and 2018.

“At the time of their diagnoses, Plaintiffs were neither on notice nor aware that they had been inhaling toxic levels of EtO for years,” the lawsuit states.

News Channel 11 reached out to Eastman and received a statement:

We are aware of the lawsuit filed by individuals alleging that exposure to ethylene oxide emissions from our Longview site caused their breast cancer. We empathize with these individuals and anyone facing a cancer diagnosis. However, as this is pending litigation, we are unable to comment further.

Eastman Chemical Company