EPA Proposes Weakening Pollution Limits on Chemical Used to Sterilize Medical Equipment

The move would reverse a Biden-era finding of high cancer risks at manufacturing facilities using ethylene oxide.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 1:18am

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The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed weakening air pollution limits on ethylene oxide, a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment like catheters and syringes. The EPA says the current standards 'actively threaten' manufacturers' ability to sterilize equipment and 'jeopardize one of America's only options for a secure domestic supply chain of essential medical equipment.' However, ethylene oxide exposure can cause leukemia and other cancers in people who work at or live near medical sterilization facilities.

Why it matters

This proposal reverses a Biden administration finding of high cancer risks from ethylene oxide emissions, raising concerns about protecting public health, especially in minority communities where many sterilization facilities are located. The move also highlights the tension between environmental regulations and maintaining a stable domestic supply of critical medical equipment.

The details

The EPA's proposed rule would weaken air pollution limits on ethylene oxide, which is used to sterilize about half of all medical devices. The agency says the current standards 'actively threaten' manufacturers' ability to sterilize equipment and 'jeopardize one of America's only options for a secure domestic supply chain of essential medical equipment.' However, long-term exposure to ethylene oxide can cause leukemia and other cancers in people who work at or live near medical sterilization facilities.

  • In 2024, the EPA finalized a rule intended to reduce ethylene oxide emissions by about 90% at nearly 90 commercial sterilization facilities across the country.
  • In 2022, the EPA laid out the risks faced by residents who live near medical sterilization facilities, including in Laredo, Texas where residents and activists fought to clean up a sterilization facility.

The players

EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is proposing to weaken air pollution limits on ethylene oxide, a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment.

Lee Zeldin

The EPA Administrator who said the proposed rule shows the agency's commitment to protecting people's health while maintaining a stable domestic medical supply chain.

Midwest Sterilization Corp.

A Missouri-based company that operated a sterilization facility in Laredo, Texas that the EPA said posed a risk for people nearby.

Sterigenics

A major sterilization company that shuttered a medical sterilization plant in a Chicago suburb after monitoring found emissions spikes in nearby neighborhoods.

Scott Whitaker

The president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, who said medical sterilizers provide a vital service and many devices can't be sterilized by any other method.

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What they’re saying

“The Trump EPA is committed to ensuring life-saving medical devices remain available for the critical care of America's children, elderly and all patients without unnecessary exposure to communities.”

— Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator (ksgf.com)

“We appreciate the EPA's efforts in listening to and understanding the importance of supplying safe, sterile medical technology without interruption while protecting employees and communities near sterilization facilities.”

— Scott Whitaker, President and CEO, Advanced Medical Technology Association (ksgf.com)

What’s next

The EPA's proposed rule is open for public comment before the agency makes a final decision.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights the ongoing tension between environmental regulations and maintaining a stable domestic supply of critical medical equipment. While the EPA says the current standards threaten manufacturers' ability to sterilize devices, public health advocates are concerned about the cancer risks posed by ethylene oxide emissions, especially in minority communities.