[Pharmwaste] Ethylene Oxide Substitute?

[Thomas Hodges]

Forgive me if this is off topic, but I hope you health care professionals might help me.

Does anyone have data on acceptable substitutes for EtO as a sterilant in hospital or veterinary environments? Our veterinary school currently uses EtO but is growing increasingly concerned about EtO as a carcinogen, as well as the extensive engineering controls required to keep clinicians safe. It has a TWA of 1.0 ppm, with an excursion level of 5.0 ppm. Is there something else out there that will sterilize as well as EtO, without the toxicity it exhibits? Barring substitutions, does anyone have experience with any engineering controls that would lower the action level to below 0.5 ppm, thereby exempting some of the OSHA requirements when using EtO?

Sorry for any cross posts.

Thomas Hodges CHMM
Hazardous Materials Manager
Environmental Health & Safety
971 Camp Auburn Road
Auburn University AL  36849
(334) 703-7511
hodgetf at auburn.edu

And remember: if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the precipitate.

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