DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sterilization gas lingers in packaging materials and outgasses during shipping, delivery, storage, and use—posing invisible risks to medical workers
A growing body of government data now shows that workers exposed to ethylene oxide (ETO)-a common gas used to sterilize medical equipment- may face severe cancer risks under outdated federal safety limits. As a result, Air by CCSquared Inc. has launched a new, ultra-sensitive ETO air test to help workers and employers understand their exposure and take action.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the exposure to 0.01 ppb for a lifetime causes no more than 1 cancer in approximately 10,000 people. THis concentration is 100,000 times lower than the current OSHA limit of 1000 ppb, a value accepted for decades as a safe concentration in the workplace. EPA modeling shows that chronic exposure to ETO at OSHA’s legal limit could increase lifetime cancer risk to greater than 1 in 10—a level which public health experts call unacceptable.
With the ability to detect ETO concentrations as low as 2 parts per billion (ppb), the test provides an unprecedented layer of protection for workers, especially those in high-risk environments such as sterilization facilities, medical clinics, warehouses, and homes near industrial operations.
Key features of the Air by CCSquared ETO test include:
- High Sensitivity to 2 ppb – Offers early detection at levels far below conventional badge style monitors, enabling faster protective actions.
- ISO 17025:2017 Accreditation – Ensures all results are scientifically defensible, reproducible, and trusted for regulatory and legal contexts.
- Field-Ready Sampling Kits – Simple, flexible kits are designed for use in workplaces, clinics, warehouses, or residential settings.
- Expert Interpretation Support – Helps individuals and organizations understand their results and plan appropriate next steps.
“This test isn’t just about compliance—it’s about access, transparency, and protection,” said Dr. William Chapman, founder and CEO of Air by CCSquared. “People have the right to know what’s in the air they breathe and how it could affect their health. With this tool, we’re giving them real data they can finally act on.”
How Community Risk Research Uncovered this Workplace Crisis
The EPA initially modeled ETO risk to assess ambient air levels in communities near sterilization and chemical manufacturing facilities. But those models revealed something even larger: the real danger may lie inside these facilities and throughout the medical supply chain all the way to the customer, where exposure is frequent, direct, and currently unmonitored at high sensitivity.
The EPA finding has sparked dozens of lawsuits from medical professionals, warehouse workers, sterilization technicians, and others in the medical device supply chain who suffer from cancer after long-term ETO exposure on the job.
“EPA’s community health studies inadvertently exposed a workplace safety gap that had gone unaddressed for decades,” said Dr. Chapman. “Our new test is designed to help close that gap and protect workers’ lives.”
About Air by CCSquared Inc.
Air by CCSquared Inc. is a science-driven air testing company committed to safeguarding worker and community health. Founded by chemist William Chapman, PhD, the company brings decades of experience in industrial hygiene, environmental science, and analytical chemistry. Air by CCSquared specializes in next-generation technologies for testing for hazardous airborne compounds in both occupational and residential settings, particularly where traditional monitoring methods fall short.
Through ISO 17025:2017-accredited laboratory methods and precision instruments capable of detecting pollutants at parts-per-billion levels, the company helps clients meet regulatory standards, maintain safer indoor environments, and make informed decisions based on reliable data.
About William Chapman, PhD
William Chapman, PhD, is a chemist and the founder of Air by CCSquared Inc., an air testing company specializing in analytical tools for evaluating occupational and environmental exposure to airborne chemicals. His background combines expertise in analytical chemistry, airborne contaminant measurement, and the medical sciences that inform toxicological risk.
Dr. Chapman leads the development of precision air sampling and laboratory methods, such as parts-per-billion detection of ethylene oxide, to support industrial hygiene, workplace safety, and environmental health applications. His work centers on applying validated science to real-world problems, helping clients in healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics understand and control the air their people breathe.
“Almost every medical device needs to be sterile, but every worker deserves to be safe. We developed our new ethylene oxide test with higher sensitivity to support the millions of medical professionals and community members whose health has been overlooked in the conversation about sterilization gas exposure,” said William Chapman, founder of Air by CCSquared.
Media Contact
William Chapman, PhD
Founder and CEO
Air by CCSquared Inc
(510) 205-1865
www.airbyccsquared.com
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