US moves to roll back ethylene oxide exposure rules

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has moved to relax air pollution limits on ethylene oxide (EtO), a highly reactive gas used to sterilise an estimated 50% of all medical devices in the US every year. The agency proposed the changes on 13 March, citing concerns that current EtO emission standards put in place by former President Joe Biden threaten the ability of facilities to sterilise equipment and jeopardise one of the US’ only options for a secure domestic supply chain of essential medical equipment.