&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Update on Ethylene Oxide (EtO) from Commercial Sterilizers Queensbury, New York June 2024 In March 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is strengthening Clean Air Act (CAA) standards for ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from commercial sterilization facilities. EPA's updates to the EtO regulations require that commercial sterilization facilities reduce EtO emissions to better protect workers and communities around their facilities. The updated air toxics standards will: • Reduce EtO emissions from commercial sterilization facilities by over 90 percent nationwide. • Significantly reduce the lifetime cancer risk from EtO exposure for people living near commercial sterilization facilities. • Require commercial sterilization facilities to use improved technology, procedures, and practices to control EtO emissions. • Require most commercial sterilization facilities report continuous emissions monitoring and quarterly emissions report data to EPA and communities to ensure transparency and accountability. Sterigenics Queensbury Commercial Sterilization Facility The Sterigenics Queensbury facility will have 2 years to comply because it is one of the facilities that uses over 60 tons of EtO per year. The facility may use a variety of strategies to meet the new standards, including but not limited to: • Installing Permanent Total Enclosures, a type of structure that surrounds an emission source and captures EtO to prevent EtO emissions from escaping to outdoor air. • Doing continuous monitoring of the Permanent Total Enclosures to ensure their effectiveness. To learn more about this facility, visit: https://www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene- oxide/forms/queensburv-nv-sterigenics-us-llc-kingsbury OTo learn more about EtO and read the final rulemaking, visit EPA's EtO webpage at: www.epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide Q If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to: Brian Marmo Marmo.Brian@epa.gov (212) 637-4352 ------- |