Andersen Sterilization Systems
Over 60 Years Protecting Your Patients, Instruments & Environment
What do we mean by “Zero Emissions?”
Andersen Sterilizers offers the most efficient gas sterilizers on the market today. When combined with our optional emissions abatement system, an Andersen sterilizer will release a fraction of a gram of EO per cycle, and less than a pound of total emissions per year, effectively making the process zero emissions.
Family owned and operated, always manufactured here in the United States, we are dedicated to protecting your patients and our environment.
Andersen’s unique EO-FCT and Zero Emissions abatement system work together to drastically limit EO consumption and emissions.
Andersen's Ethylene Oxide Flexible Chamber Technology
Traditional EO sterilizers use large metal chambers that result in significant “dead space” — even when fully loaded. These systems must use large amounts of EO to achieve an effective level of gas concentration throughout the chamber. Andersen EO flexible chamber technology offers a much more efficient process.
Andersen sterilizers employ flexible bags as their sterilization chamber. The bag is filled with items to be processed, along with a single-use EO cartridge. The bag is sealed and loaded into the sterilization cabinet. At the start of the cycle, excess air is removed. The bag collapses around the load, eliminating any dead space. When the EO cartridge is activated, a high gas concentration is achieved with a very small amount of gas (just 17.6 grams per cycle). When combined with an Andersen abator, this small amount of gas is effectively removed from the exhaust stream.
Traditional Chamber vs. Andersen’s EO-FCT
How our Zero Emissions Abatement Works
Andersen EO abators are a simple, cartridge-based system that employ a dry cationic resin. Cartridges are designed to remove over 99% of the EO in the exhaust stream, resulting in a fraction of gram of total EO emissions (<.2 grams) over the course of a multi-hour cycle. This tiny amount of EO is vented to the outside where it disperses rapidly and quickly becomes undetectable.
Each cartridge is good for 200 sterilization cycles. The system keeps track of abator usage and lets you know when the cartridge needs to be replaced.
Installation is simple, as the abator attaches easily to most AN74i, AN74ix, AN74j or EOGas 4 model sterilizers.
Spent cartridges are non-hazardous and may be discarded in most landfills or returned to Andersen for disposal.
Anprolene Emissions by the Numbers
Single cycle emissions for Anprolene Sterilizaton System
The Anprolene system releases 17.6 grams over a 14 hour sterilization/purge cycle, or 1.25 grams/hour.
WITH an ABATOR, the Anprolene system releases 0.175 grams/cycle.
Annual emissions data based on usage (# cycles per week)
Typical Anprolene Emissions:
Maximum Potential Anprolene Emissions:
An Anprolene system that is operated for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, still only emits a total of 24 lbs. of EO per year.
With an abator this maximum potential reaches 0.24 lbs.
To put these numbers in perspective, the US EPA does not require abatement of an EO emissions source until volume exceeds 2,000 lbs.
Emissions Data for Andersen Sterilization Systems:
Andersen Anprolene Sterilization System
The Andersen Anprolene sterilizer uses a 17.6 gram, 100% ethylene oxide (EO) cartridge. The cycle time is 12 hours of sterilization with a 2-hour purge cycle, for a total 14-hour minimum cycle (some loads may require additional aeration).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Annual Emissions based on typical usage: Without Abator With Abator
Light use (one cycle per week): 2.0 lbs./0.9kg 0.02lb/0.01kg
Medium use (two cycles per week): 4.0 lbs./1.8kg 0.04lb/0.02kg
Heavy use (five cycles a week): 10.0 lbs./4.5kg 0.1lb/0.05kg
Annual Maximum Emissions: 24.1lbs/10.9kg 0.24lb/0.1kg
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Annual Maximum Emissions calculations1 :
- Hours in a year: 365 x 24 = 8,760
- Maximum potential number of Anprolene cycles in a year: 8,760/14 hr. cycle = 625.7 2
- Maximum potential grams used per year: 626 x 17.6 = 10,950
- Maximum potential emissions per year: 10,950/454 = 24.1lbs/10.9kg
Hourly Emissions calculations:
- The Anprolene System releases 17.6g over a 14-hour sterilization/purge cycle, or 1.25g/hour.
- WITH an abator, the Anprolene System releases an average of .0125g EO/hour.
________
1 The Annual Maximum Emissions calculation assumes that a sterilizer is run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for all 365 days of a year. This calculation is used by some regulatory agencies to determine the maximum potential emissions from a system. It does not include additional aeration time and does not reflect the usage or the emissions of a typical user/facility.
2 Assumes no additional aeration. In practice, many loads will require 12 to 24 hours of additional aeration in the cabinet.
EOGas 4 Emissions by the Numbers
Single cycle emissions for EOGas 4 Sterilizaton System
The EOGas 4 system releases 17.6 grams over a 3.5 hour sterilization/purge cycle, or 5 grams/hour.
WITH an ABATOR, the EOGas 4 system releases 0.176 grams/cycle.
Annual emissions data based on usage (# cycles per week)
Typical EOGas 4 Emissions:
Maximum Potential EOGas 4 Emissions:
An EOGas 4 System that is operated for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, still only emits a total of 96.5 lbs. of EO per year.
With an abator this maximum potential reaches 0.96 lbs.
To put these numbers in perspective, the US EPA does not require abatement of an EO emissions source until volume exceeds 2,000 lbs.
Emissions Data for Andersen Sterilization Systems:
Andersen Anprolene Sterilization System
The Andersen EOGas 4 sterilizer uses a 17.6 gram, 100% ethylene oxide (EO) cartridge. The cycle time is 3 hours of sterilization with a 0.5-hour purge cycle, for a total 3.5-hour minimum cycle. Additional aeration is optional.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Annual Emissions based on typical usage: Without Abator With Abator
Light use (one cycle per week): 4.0 lbs./1.8kg 0.04lb/0.02kg
Medium use (two cycles per week): 10.0 lbs./4.5kg 0.1lb/0.5kg
Heavy use (five cycles a week): 20.0 lbs./9.1kg 0.2lb/0.09kg
Annual Maximum Emissions: 96.5 lbs/43.8kg 0.96lb/0.44kg
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Annual Maximum Emissions calculations1 :
- Hours in a year: 365 x 24 = 8,760
- Maximum potential number of EOGas 4 cycles in a year 2: 8,760/3.5 hour cycle = 2,503
- Maximum potential grams used per year: 2,503 x 17.6 = 43,800
- Maximum potential emissions per year: 43,800/454 = 96.5lbs/43.8kg
Hourly Emissions calculations:
- EOGas 4 releases 17.6g over a 3.5 hour sterilization/purge cycle, or approximatly 5g /hour.
- WITH an abator, the EOGas 4 system releases an average of 0.176 grams EO/hour.
________
1 The Annual Maximum Emissions calculation assumes that a sterilizer is run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for all 365 days of a year. This calculation is used by some regulatory agencies to determine the maximum potential emissions from a system. It does not include additional aeration time and does not reflect the usage or the emissions of a typical user/facility.
2 Assumes no additional aeration. In practice, many loads will require 12 to 24 hours of additional aeration in the cabinet.
EO Emissions in Perspective
A number of customers have contacted us regarding news articles reporting high emission levels from commercial EO sterilization plants. They ask how these systems compare to an Andersen sterilizer’s emissions.
The simple answer? There is no comparison.
Commercial EO sterilization facilities operate large pallet chambers that can release hundreds, and sometimes thousands of pounds of EO emissions per year. In contrast, all Andersen sterilizers, when equipped with an abator, emit under a pound of EO per year.
Emissions Regulations in the United States
In the US, emission standards are managed nationally by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). EPA does not require emissions abatement of ethylene oxide exhaust until volume exceeds 1 ton / year. At under 1 lb. / year, the Andersen Sterilization Systems’ emissions meet (and exceed) all US national and state regulations.
In the United States, ethylene oxide (EO) emissions at the Federal level are governed by EPA Title V requirements, which state:
- Sterilization sources using less than 1 ton (2,000 lbs. / 907 kg) are not subject to the emissions standards in §63.362 (i.e. there are no Federal requirements for emissions abatement at this level)
- The record keeping requirements of §63.367(c) do not apply to EO sterilization operations at stationary sources such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, or other facilities whose primary purpose is to provide medical services to humans or animals.