BD Sterilization Facility

Tucson, Arizona

In Tucson, Arizona BD is building a state-of-the-art sterilization facility that will ensure healthcare facilities in Arizona and around the world have the medical technology needed to serve patients and advance public health. The Tucson facility will be responsible for the sterilization of medical devices like syringes, catheters, stents, surgical devices, and much more.

BD is investing in building the sterilization facility in Tucson to add critical capacity to support growing public health needs for sterilized product to strengthen supply chain resilience, enhance customer service and improve operational efficiency.

BD Sterilization Facility

Tucson, Arizona

BD is making investing in building the sterilization facility in Tucson to add critical capacity to support growing public health needs for sterilized product to strengthen supply chain resilience, enhance customer service and improve operational efficiency.

Purpose Built, State-Of-The-Art Design

Our Tucson facility has been purpose-built to be one of the most efficient facilities in the world at capturing and controlling EtO emissions. This facility will include advanced process emissions control technology (catalytic oxidation) and new fugitive emissions control technology (dry bed absorption). These state-of-the-art process control systems will monitor and control process conditions to ensure continued safety for personnel and the community.

Catalytic oxidation will be used to treat EtO emissions from the sterilizer and aeration cells, exceeding the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) requirements for control efficiency by a wide margin. The fugitive emissions from the equipment rooms and post-sterile warehouse will be effectively collected and controlled using Advanced Air Technology® dry bed systems, ensuring the highest level of safety for the community.

BD’s philosophy for medical product sterilization is one of continuous improvement that leads the company to employ best available technology at our facilities. As technologies and processes evolve, BD routinely evaluates and voluntarily employs new technologies at our facilities when deemed appropriate.

Air Quality Compliance

BD uses the best available emission control technology in the industry. EtO emissions from the sterilization chambers and degassing cells are captured and treated using catalytic oxidation. This achieves >99.95% destruction of EtO, significantly greater than the 99% required under the Clean Air Act.

When the catalytic oxidizer is running at its specified temperature range, the EtO destruction results are extremely consistent and predictable. We will have 24/7 monitoring of temperature data and several other key operational parameters. If the temperature deviates from specified levels, we have controls so the whole system automatically shuts down to avoid unintentional EtO releases.

BD verifies the effectiveness of emission destruction through stack testing (conducted by an independent third-party), in accordance with permit requirements. The testing methodology is reviewed and approved in advance of the testing by regulatory authorities.