On May 15, 2026, Environmental Protection Network submitted formal comments to EPA urging the agency to rescind its March 2026 proposed reconsideration of the 2024 Ethylene Oxide (EtO) emissions rule. EPN argues that the proposal is legally and scientifically flawed, warning that weakening the 2024 standards would expose 14 million Americans near commercial sterilizers to increased cancer risks. EPN also strongly critiques the EPA’s new, restrictive interpretation of its ongoing duty to review residual risks under the Clean Air Act and defends the scientific validity of the robust 2016 IRIS cancer risk assessment for EtO.
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards for Sterilization Facilities Residual Risk and Technology Review Reconsideration
