Elite Spice Lawsuit – EtO Facility in Hanover, Maryland [2025 Update]
Reports show that residents of Hanover, Maryland, may have a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer due to their proximity to the Elite Spice facility. Elite Spice, Inc. uses ethylene oxide (EtO) to kill contaminants on its spices, dried vegetables, and other products. Ethylene oxide exposure can result in an increased risk of leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, and other diseases.
The EPA has discovered that Elite Spice is releasing ethylene oxide into the air, and it may be causing people who live near the Hanover and Jessup facilities to have an increased lifetime cancer risk. People may be able to sue Elite Spice if they developed cancer that they believe was caused by Elite Spice’s activities.
On this page, you can find information about what Elite Spice does, how it uses ethylene oxide, and the dangers it poses to the community because of its operations in Hanover. This article also discusses who can sue Elite Spice, what to expect during a lawsuit, and the applicable deadlines and settlement potential.
Elite Spice Lawsuit Updates
July 22, 2025: People Who Developed Cancers Related to Ethylene Oxide Exposure Can Still File Lawsuits
Residents living near facilities using ethylene oxide in Jessup and Hanover, Maryland, are still filing lawsuits related to their injuries. Exposure to EtO can increase someone’s risk of cancer. However, there is often a long latency period between exposure and diagnosis. People living in these areas should speak with an experienced attorney if they suspect their illness is related to ethylene oxide exposure.
January 7, 2025: EPA Considers New Regulations for Ethylene Oxide, Popular Sterilizer Used by Elite Spice
The EPA announced that it is considering new regulations that would help limit how companies use ethylene oxide. These proposed changes would also change how companies register to use ethylene oxide, which is used by Elite Spice to sterilize its products. For example, companies would need to follow different processes for requesting permits and reporting on their emissions. After reviewing public comments from individuals and businesses, the EPA issued an interim final decision that included plans to lower the ethylene oxide risk to affected residents and workers.
June 8, 2023: EPA Holds Town Hall with Hanover and Jessup Residents Who Live Near Elite Spice Facilities
The EPA held an important town hall meeting with Hanover and Jessup community members. In the meeting, which occurred on June 8, 2023, the EPA notified residents about the ethylene oxide being emitted from Elite Spice and that this gas may be increasing the community’s cancer risk. Several residents of Hanover spoke up about their concerns due to the recent disclosure of the ethylene oxide that is polluting their air.
March 1, 2023: Maryland Congress Considers Bill to Ban Ethylene Oxide Used by Elite Spice
After discovering that Maryland’s citizens were becoming sick after being exposed to ethylene oxide in the air, members of Maryland’s Congress proposed a bill to ban ethylene oxide use in the state. Many organizations, including Elite Spice and the American Spice Trade Association, opposed this move, saying that it would effectively prevent all spice processing and medical sterilization in the state. The bill was sent to the committee and has not yet become law or been revisited since 2023. Residents of Hanover who developed cancer due to ethylene oxide exposure may find this lack of action frustrating.
July 27, 2022: EPA Map Reports Higher-than-Expected Cancer Risk for Hanover and Jessup Residents Near Elite Spice Plants
In 2022, the EPA discovered that people living close to Elite Spice’s Hanover site had a higher-than-expected cancer risk. The model risk estimate was an increase of 100 in a million chances of someone developing cancer from Elite Spice’s ethylene oxide use in Hanover. The EPA published this community risk map on its website and took steps to notify residents. The agency also worked with Elite Spice to monitor and curb its emissions to protect those in Hanover, Maryland.
About the Elite Spice Lawsuit
About Elite Spice Inc. in Hanover, Maryland
Ethylene Oxide Exposure Area – Hanover, Maryland Map
Elite Spice Business Operations and EtO Sterilization Procedures
Elite Spice Ethylene Oxide Usage and Emission Reports
Ethylene Oxide Linked to Certain Cancers in the Hanover Community
Who Can File an Elite Spice Lawsuit?
How to File an Elite Spice Lawsuit
Deadline to File an Elite Spice Lawsuit
Estimated Elite Spice Lawsuit Settlement Amounts
About Elite Spice Inc. in Hanover, Maryland
Elite Spice Inc. is a privately held corporation that was formed in 1988. The family-owned company makes spices and seasoning blends for the food industry. Elite Spice, Inc., is headquartered in Jessup, Maryland, and has six nationwide facilities that employ about 500 people.
Elite Spice uses ethylene oxide to sterilize its spices and dried vegetables, which it says helps their products comply with food safety requirements. The company’s Hanover, Maryland, site is responsible for most of the sterilization processes. Public reports, such as from the EPA, have raised concerns that the ethylene oxide used at the facility is leaking into the atmosphere. Nearby residents who breathe in this colorless, odorless gas may be at a higher risk of developing cancers because of this exposure.
Where Is Elite Spice Located?
Elite Spice’s Hanover facility is at 1415 Magellan Drive, Hanover, Maryland. Most of the properties in this part of Hanover are commercial spaces; however, some neighborhoods are also located within a few miles of the Elite Spices sterilization plant.
According to the EPA, about 171,393 people live within 5 miles of Elite Spice’s Hanover facility. Nearly 200 schools and daycares are also within 5 miles of Elite Spice’s Hanover and Jessup sites. As a result, a significant number of people are at risk from the toxins in their air.
Ethylene Oxide Exposure Area – Hanover, Maryland Map
The EPA issued an exposure map for people living near the Elite Spice facility. It shows who might be affected by ethylene oxide emissions at the plant.
Elite Spice Business Operations and EtO Sterilization Procedures
Elite Spice makes a variety of products for the food industry, including spices, herbs, seasonings, capsicums (e.g., chili pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika), and dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Elite Spice uses ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to kill bacteria and microbes like Salmonella on their products and ingredients. The company turns to these gases because it cannot always use heat or radiation to clean its agricultural ingredients.
According to the EPA, Elite Spice’s Hanover site uses ethylene oxide to clean about 80 percent of its spices and 20 percent of its dehydrated vegetable products. Elite Spice maintains that its Hanover site is in compliance with all industry standards, including regulations issued by the EPA and FDA. Ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, is a popular choice in the food industry as a way to sterilize food products. However, residents who live close to the Hanover facility are concerned about the cancer-causing potential of this gas.
Elite Spice Ethylene Oxide Usage and Emission Reports
Data from the EPA shows that Elite Spice emitted about 175 pounds of ethylene oxide in 2023 and 231 pounds of ethylene oxide in 2022. This is a significant uptick in emissions from 2016, when Elite Spice released about 64 pounds of ethylene oxide. In 2014, Elite Spice began using a wet scrubber system to help recapture the ethylene oxide and reduce how much is released into the atmosphere. However, emissions have been trending up.
While the company has not violated its air permits, the EPA has noted that some ethylene gas still escapes the facility and puts nearby residents in harm’s way. Moreover, the company will need to take steps to make sure it complies with the updated EPA regulations on ethylene oxide uses and emissions.
Ethylene Oxide Linked to Certain Cancers in the Hanover Community
As early as 1992, authorities have known that ethylene oxide can cause cancer in people who work or live near facilities that use this substance. Cancers that are known to be connected with ethylene oxide include non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. The EPA’s community risk assessment determined that residents who lived near the Hanover facility had an increased lifetime cancer risk of up to 100 in a million. In other words, people living near this Hanover facility had a 100 in a million risk of developing cancer in addition to their cancer risk based on their lifestyle, exposures to other carcinogens, etc.
The EPA and Maryland’s Department of the Environment both took action to notify the public of the dangers of ethylene oxide and curb emissions. In addition to ongoing monitoring of air quality around Elite Spice facilities, the EPA held a town hall meeting in June 2023 with members of the Jessup and Hanover communities. Maryland’s Department of the Environment also noted that it worked with Elite Spice to reduce its ethylene oxide emissions by 20 percent and encouraged it to transition to a less toxic alternative, propylene oxide.
Who Can File an Elite Spice Lawsuit?
People who live near Elite Spice’s facility in Hanover, Maryland, may be able to file a lawsuit if they develop certain types of cancer. Some of the eligibility criteria for requesting compensation include the following:
- Exposure: The victim’s home was within 4 miles of the Elite Spice facility in Hanover, and the victim lived there for at least one year after Elite Spice opened this plant.
- Diagnosis: After they were exposed to ethylene oxide, the victim was diagnosed with cancer that is associated with ethylene oxide, such as leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, or multiple myeloma.
- Latency: The victim’s cancer developed a certain number of years after they were exposed to ethylene oxide. The timeframe depends on what type of cancer they have (e.g., their non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis occurred at least 2 years after exposure).
Elite Spice’s workers may not qualify for a settlement unless they also meet the above residency requirements. People may be able to file a wrongful death claim if they lost a loved one to cancer because of Elite Spice’s pollution of the air in Hanover. Victims are encouraged to contact an attorney to discuss the updated eligibility criteria and their legal options.
How to File an Elite Spice Lawsuit
Filing an Elite Spice lawsuit starts with the victim connecting with a seasoned lawyer who can help them determine if they qualify for compensation. The attorney can also explain what their legal options are and help them gather evidence, which is a necessary step in the claims process. The victim or their attorney then uses the evidence and the applicable laws to write and submit a strong legal complaint against Elite Spice.
After they serve Elite Spice with the legal paperwork, they would prepare to negotiate an out-of-court settlement. This procedure involves requesting materials such as medical records, company emissions reports, and scientific studies to build a strong case that Elite Spice’s ethylene oxide emissions caused the victim’s cancer. Then, they or their attorney would prepare, present, and review settlement proposals. If they cannot reach a fair agreement with Elite Spice, the victim may take the case to a full trial with the help of their lawyer.
King Law is equipped to help ethylene oxide victims who developed cancer because of Elite Spice’s negligent pollution. Our attorneys handle these cases on contingency, so we do not receive any upfront legal fees from clients. We only get paid if we win the victims’ cases on their behalf.
Deadline to File an Elite Spice Lawsuit
The deadline to file an ethylene oxide exposure lawsuit depends on the state law that applies to the case. In Maryland, some claimants only have about three years to file a lawsuit after they were diagnosed with cancer or discovered they were injured by Elite Spice’s emissions. That said, there are exceptions that can give victims additional time to file a lawsuit. So, victims who only recently learned of Elite Spice’s pollution of the air in Hanover may still be able to seek a settlement. Victims are encouraged to reach out to a lawyer as early as possible to help limit the chance of missing out on compensation due to a missed deadline.
Estimated Elite Spice Lawsuit Settlement Amounts
The Elite Spice lawsuits are still in their early stages, as many victims are just now discovering that the ethylene oxide in Hanover may have harmed them. However, some victims who sued Sterigenics, a company that uses ethylene oxide to sterilize medical equipment, received hefty settlements and verdicts. That said, individual results of future ethylene oxide cases may vary depending on factors like the victim’s legal arguments, the quality of their evidence, and total expenses to diagnose and treat their cancer.
Some claimants may receive up to $175,000 to $500,000 or more if they have a strong case against Elite Spice. Victims can reach out to a seasoned lawyer for a free case review and settlement estimate.
Contact an Elite Spice Ethylene Oxide Lawyer Today
If you lived near Elite Spice’s facility in Hanover, Maryland, and developed cancer, the ethylene oxide in the air may be the reason. EPA reports show that residents of the area around the Hanover plant are more likely to get cancer than people who live further away.
King Law is helping victims of ethylene oxide exposure linked to the Hanover and Jessup Elite Spice locations. Get in touch with us today by dialing (585) 496-2648 or filling out an online contact form to begin the process of filing an EtO lawsuit. Our attorneys and their team can discuss your concerns and offer you a free case review.