Overview

• The EPA has issued a new rule to significantly reduce ethylene oxide emissions from sterilization facilities, aiming to cut about 90% of emissions nationwide.
• The rule mandates the installation of pollution-control equipment and continuous emissions monitoring, with facilities required to report to the EPA quarterly.
• The move addresses long-standing health concerns in communities near these facilities, particularly in areas like Laredo, Texas, where residents have faced elevated cancer rates.
• Industry representatives express concerns about potential impacts on the supply of sterilized medical equipment, but the EPA assures that the new regulations will not affect access.
• The regulations, which go into effect shortly after publication in the Federal Register, give facilities two years to comply, with an additional 180 days to demonstrate compliance.