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Good afternoon:
Today, the American Contract Systems facility in Fort Myers (ACS – Fort Myers) completed the installation of two dry bed scrubbers to reduce air pollution associated with the facility’s medical equipment sterilization activities. These controls are 99.9% effective in reducing ethylene oxide (EtO) levels in the air that is vented from the facility, and these new controls are anticipated to reduce EtO emissions from the facility from approximately 5 pounds per day to less than 0.05 pounds per day.
As part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) regulatory oversight, the agency conducted an inspection of the ACS – Fort Myers facility this afternoon, and DEP is overseeing the preliminary testing of the scrubbers to ensure their effectiveness. In the coming weeks, the facility will perform a full stack test using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved method, which DEP will also oversee.
These new controls reduce the risk well below the threshold that EPA used in modeling risks associated with the ACS – Fort Myers facility. DEP anticipates that EPA will remodel the risks associated with this facility now that the new controls are operational.
Today’s inspection report is available online.
Learn more about this facility here.
Statement from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:
Over the past few years, DEP has assisted EPA in collecting emissions data for Florida’s six commercial sterilization facilities, including ACS – Fort Myers, as EPA conducted a nationwide analysis of EtO emissions. As part of this information collecting process, DEP also conducted inspections at the facility to better understand facility operations and emission controls. These were in addition to DEP’s routine compliance inspections.
DEP is aware that EPA intends to move forward with rulemaking to strengthen emission standards for EtO and that it will impact facilities throughout the U.S., including ACS – Fort Myers.
In advance of this rulemaking effort, ACS – Fort Myers voluntarily installed new emissions controls for EtO at the facility that reduce the risk well below the threshold used in EPA’s modeling. With these new controls installed and operational, DEP anticipates that EPA will remodel this facility to confirm the reduced risk to the community.
ACS – Fort Myers and the five other Florida facilities have met and continue to meet all current federal air emissions standards and are in compliance with all conditions of their respective air operation permits.
DEP is committed to protecting Florida’s air quality and looks forward to participating in the upcoming rulemaking effort.
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