ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – An upcoming meeting is set to fill in residents in the towns of Queensbury and Kingsbury regarding health risks connected to a local industrial plant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host the meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16 virtually, as well as at the Kingsbury Volunteer Hose Company in Hudson Falls.

The EPA plans to discuss potential health risks that have been associated with the Kingsbury Sterigenics facility, located at 84 Park Road in Queensbury. The plant emits ethylene oxide, also known as EtO. Although the EPA does not believe the emissions to exceed guidelines for safety in the short term, the organization is investigating concerns surrounding lifetime exposure.

“EPA wants to make sure we are giving people the most up-to-date information about the risks posed by EtO and at the same time discuss what actions may already be underway or planned to reduce risk in their area,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “We also want to engage the public as we develop new regulations with the benefit of our current understanding of the risk posed by EtO. EPA’s actions will be strengthened by this input.”

The Kingsbury-based plant was named in a 2021 study by publication ProPublica eyeing emissions data tracking cancer-connected chemicals to different industrial sites. The report showed the Sterigenics plant as roughly 1.5 times the EPA’s maximum acceptable cancer risk level, which is set at 1 in 10,000. In addition to heightening risk of blood cancers, ethylene oxide is also highly explosive.

Thursday night’s meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. at 3715 Burgoyne Ave. in Hudson Falls. Those interested can also tune in via Zoom.