On March 17, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed rescinding several ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions standards for commercial sterilizers it finalized in 2024.
EtO is a flammable, colorless gas used to sterilize medical devices and some foods. It is a potent carcinogen when inhaled. Communities living near commercial sterilization facilities that use EtO — which are disproportionately low-income and communities of color — have suffered from a significantly higher rate of cancer than the national average. In 2024, EPA updated EtO emissions standards for commercial sterilizers, tightening them for large sterilization facilities, requiring continuous emissions monitoring systems, and regulating fugitive emissions for the first time. EPA projected that, if implemented, the 2024 rule would reduce annual EtO emissions from commercial sterilizers by 90%.
EPA now proposes to rescind several aspects of the 2024 rule, asserting that the rule relied on misinterpretations of law, unreliable data, and faulty analyses. Our quick take explains EPA’s four main rescissions and their asserted legal bases.
EPA will accept public comments on its proposed rule until May 1, 2026.