chemical · input
~50% of all sterile single-use devices are sterilized with EtO gas; highly carcinogenic and flammable; strict EPA emissions limits have driven US sterilization facility closures, creating acute device shortages
7
Source countries
6
Companies
1
Goods affected
0
Claims on record
What depends on it
1 essential American goods rely on ethylene oxide (eto) sterilization gas somewhere upstream in their supply chain.
Where it comes from
Share of global supply, by country.
| Country | Share of supply |
|---|---|
| USUnited States | 36% |
| DEGermany | 10% |
| FRFrance | 8% |
| JPJapan | 4% |
| CNChina | 4% |
| MXMexico | 3% |
| SGSingapore | 2% |
Who makes it
6 companies produce ethylene oxide (eto) sterilization gas.
Largest commercial EtO sterilization services company in the US (~50% market share); operates ~50 facilities globally including key US sites; faced multiple facility closures 2019-2022 due to EPA enforcement on EtO emissions, creating medical device supply chain crises.
Global #1 sterilization services; Applied Sterilization Technologies (Isomedix) division; comprehensive EO, gamma, e-beam, VHP portfolio; 7 US EO facilities; expanding Singapore
Global #2 EO sterilization services; $1.10B 2024 revenue; Haw River NC flagship; Hidalgo Mexico facility; >$840M cancer lawsuit liabilities from Willowbrook IL closure 2019
Large medical device manufacturer with captive EO sterilization; Waukegan IL facility closed 2019, reopened 2020 after $10M emissions control upgrade; both manufacturer and sterilization operator
Major medical device company with captive EO sterilization; Sandy Utah facility; at risk of shutdown from EPA regulations (FDA warned against closure); IV catheters and other critical devices
Swedish medical technology; EO sterilization equipment and contract services; significant global market presence; distributed US and European facilities
