EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards presented a webinar to review EPA's proposed new actions on EtO to require more stringent emissions standards and additional worker protections. EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention released a Proposed Interim Decision (PID) that indicates they will consider proposing a phased cancellation of EtO use on specific spices/commodities without documentation showing that alternatives are not viable and the need for EtO is critical to food safety, as well as additional controls to protect worker safety. Additionally, EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation has released proposed revisions to a second residual risk and technology review for Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards for Sterilization Facilities: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants to regulate room air emissions, modify standards, and require new reporting processes. The session speakers were Susan Bartow, Chemical Review Manager, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, and Jonathan Witt, Environmental Engineer, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed phasing out ethylene oxide (EtO) use on spices and subsequently canceling the tolerances for spices, resulting in a potential future ban of imported spices with EtO residues in the U.S. In this session provided at the 2023 Regulatory Workshop held in Washington DC, panelists from agencies and academia discussed updates on EPA’s proposed ETO actions and the safety of spices. EPA officials shared an update on their actions, and panelists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and non-governmental and academic institutions discussed EPA’s proposals and the potential impact on the safety of spices. This was the presentation provided by Michelle Ranville, USDA.