Company agrees to shut Covington sterilizing plant down for a week

COVINGTON, Ga. - The company that owns a controversial Covington sterilizing plant and the state of Georgia have come to an agreement to shut the plant down for a week.

The fight over the plant's ethylene oxide emissions went to court Monday after the state attorney general, governor and environmental regulators filed a legal motion calling on a judge to halt the sterilizing processes at the Becton Dickinson plant in Covington Air testing results showed elevated levels of EtO, a known carcinogen that has been associated with cancer and reproductive issues.

After the hearing wrapped up, officials announced the plant will voluntarily shut down from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, which would allow the state to conduct additional air monitoring. 

During that period the facility will submit documentation that it's taken necessary steps to prevent the release of untreated ethylene oxide or "fugitive emissions" to the atmosphere.

Governor Brian Kemp reacted to Monday's agreement between the state and BD saying, "This agreement allows for cleaner operations and improved, long-term accountability at BD's medical sterilization facilities in Covington and Madison.  I applaud Attorney General Chris Carr and his team for working with us to secure this win for Newton County and the surrounding communities."

Once the plant resumes operations November 7 it will reduce the amount of "fugitive emissions" being released into the air to less than 30 pounds per month and  BD will make monthly emissions reports to EPD.

Company officials also agree to institute a leak detection and repair program at both the BD Covington Facility and it's facility in Madison, and have agreed to install over the next 6 months or so air pollution control equipment at both sites to capture fugitive emissions. 

In court documents, BD contended it "has already implemented the corrective measures EPD [requested]," following the discovery of elevated EtO levels that took ten days to report to the state.

BD issued a written statement following Mondy's hearing saying  the agreement with the state will ensure the company can provide critical medial devices that are sterilized in its Covington facility.

The statement reads "BD is safely operating in full compliance with its permits , has proactively adopted the most advancd and best available technology and is emitting a fraction of its allowable limit."

BD isn't the only medical sterilization plant under fire for its EtO emissions. Sterigenics in Smyrna closed earlier this year, sparking concern from some medical device associations.

The president of MedAdva called the closures in Illinois and Georgia alarming, putting more than one billion medical devices at risk.