The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division issued the following news release:

Question

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is announcing today an air quality monitoring plan to measure
ethylene oxide levels around two plants in suburban Atlanta. Sterigenics in Smyrna and BD in Covington use the gas
to sterilize medical equipment.
The two facilities are located in census tracts identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as having
potentially elevated lifetime cancer risks. The findings about elevated risks due to ethylene oxide were not due to new
emission sources or increased emissions. Rather it was due to EPA's finding that the long-term exposure to the gas
may be more harmful than previously thought.
Air samples will be collected at each site every six days over the next several months. Four monitoring locations for
each community are being chosen ranging in distance from a quarter mile to a mile from the company property, both
upwind and downwind. Equipment will be in the field within the next few weeks. A commercial laboratory will
conduct the testing and results are expected in early November.
The EPD monitoring plan is focused on Smyrna and Covington, but the agency is also testing air in areas that are far
from any permitted source of ethylene oxide. This is done for purposes of identifying baseline levels of air pollution in
areas where there is no known source of ethylene oxide. EPD will use that information to get a better understanding
of the facilities impact on air quality.
EPD has taken air samples at its South DeKalb Air Toxics Monitoring Station and has released results from the first
sample. That sample identified levels of ethylene oxide associated with a higher lifetime cancer risk according to
EPA's revised toxicity estimates. This initial result suggests the presence of ethylene oxide not associated with an
industrial source and is consistent with findings in other states. EPD is working with EPA to better understand nonindustrial sources of ethylene oxide and will continue to collect regular air samples at the south DeKalb site and begin
monitoring at a rural south Georgia location far from any industry or traffic in addition to monitoring in Covington and
Smyrna.
Community meetings and open houses are scheduled in Smyrna on August 19 and in Covington on August 20.
Officials from EPA, Georgia EPD, Georgia Department of Public Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry will be at the meetings to answer questions and provide information. Click on these links for details
on the meetings:
.
Working with EPD, Sterigenics and BD have agreed to voluntarily take actions to further reduce emissions. Both
facilities are operating in compliance with current requirements.
EPD keeps a significant amount of information about ethylene oxide and the facilities that use it on its website
This week, you will create a research reading journal including at least three high-quality sources related to the topic of your Solving a Problem in Your Community Essay. To make sure you are on the right track, for post 1 by Wednesday, share one of your journal entries with the class.

It should include the following information.

Your topic
Your thesis
The APA-style reference of one source
A summary of that source
An evaluation of that source
A direct quotation from that source
A paraphrase of that quotation
An analysis of that quotation
An application of that quotation (in other words, where in the essay it will be used)

Answer 1

Research Reading Journal Entry

Your Topic: Addressing Air Quality and Health Risks from Ethylene Oxide Emissions in Suburban Atlanta

Your Thesis: In light of revised health risk assessments regarding ethylene oxide, effective air quality monitoring and community engagement are crucial in mitigating the potential carcinogenic impacts of emissions from Sterigenics and BD facilities in Smyrna and Covington.

APA-style Reference of One Source:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division. (2023). Announcement on air quality monitoring plan in suburban Atlanta. Retrieved from [link to news release]

Summary of that Source:
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) announced an air quality monitoring initiative to measure ethylene oxide levels around Sterigenics in Smyrna and BD in Covington. This initiative responds to EPA findings indicating that long-term exposure to ethylene oxide may pose higher cancer risks. Air samples will be collected every six days from multiple locations, both upwind and downwind of the facilities, to assess the potential impact on air quality. Initial results from the South DeKalb Air Toxics Monitoring Station indicated ethylene oxide levels associated with increased lifetime cancer risk, suggesting possible non-industrial sources. EPD is also collaborating with Sterigenics and BD to reduce emissions.

Evaluation of that Source:
This source is credible as it comes from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, a state agency responsible for environmental protection. The information is timely and directly relevant to the ongoing public health concerns regarding air quality and emissions in suburban Atlanta. The news release is comprehensive, detailing the monitoring plan, preliminary findings, and community engagement efforts, which bolsters its reliability and utility for understanding the issue at hand.

Direct Quotation from that Source:
"The findings about elevated risks due to ethylene oxide were not due to new emission sources or increased emissions. Rather it was due to EPA's finding that the long-term exposure to the gas may be more harmful than previously thought."

Paraphrase of that Quotation:
The rise in identified risks associated with ethylene oxide is attributed to the EPA's updated understanding of the dangers linked to long-term exposure to the gas, rather than any new or heightened emissions from existing sources.

Analysis of that Quotation:
This quotation underscores the importance of re-evaluating established environmental health assessments in light of new scientific evidence. It highlights the shift in understanding regarding ethylene oxide's risks and emphasizes that air quality management is an ongoing process that requires regular scrutiny.

Application of that Quotation:
This quotation will be utilized in the section of the essay discussing the importance of continuous air quality evaluation. It will support the argument that existing regulations may need to be reassessed to safeguard public health in communities near industrial facilities, particularly in light of the potential heightened risks associated with long-term exposure to ethylene oxide.