BD Sterilization Facility

Columbus, Nebraska

BD’s facility in Columbus, Nebraska is one of the world’s largest producers of pre-fillable syringes, needles and pre-filled saline flush syringes, products that are essential for patient care.

To protect patients from the risks of infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi, the FDA requires the sterilization of these medical devices.

In the final stage of the manufacturing process, BD must use ethylene oxide gas (EtO) to sterilize some of these products. EtO it is the only type of sterilization that can be used for these sensitive medical products. Other sterilization methods (e.g. radiation, steam, chloride dioxide, vaporized hydrogen peroxide) will damage the products or are unable to ensure the required level of sterility.

BD Sterilization Facility

Columbus, Nebraska

To protect patients from the risks of infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi, the FDA requires the sterilization of these medical devices.

BD was the recipient of the 2021 Nebraska Governor’s Bioscience Award.

BD’s Columbus Facility: Beyond Compliance

BD has programs and procedures in place to ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements from EPA, OSHA, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, FDA and all state and local permits.
Uses the best available EtO emission control technology in the industry.
Significantly exceeds current Clean Air Act emissions control. BD’s facility in Columbus achieves >99.95% destruction of EtO from stack emissions. This level of EtO emissions control is 20 times more efficient than required by the EPA.

Investing in Safety in Columbus

BD is the industry leader in developing and implementing capture and control technologies to reduce EtO emissions in our sterilization facilities.

In Columbus, BD voluntarily made significant investments to upgrade emissions controls at the facility to ensure the facility is below new EPA risk threshold standards for EtO emissions.

BD voluntarily invested $18 million to expand the Columbus facility and install new equipment using a state-of-the-art capture and treatment system for residual emissions. The new systems have been in operation since May 2023.

State-of-the-Art Technology Investments Include:

LESNI Catalytic Abatement Plant (CAP) to control EtO emissions from the sterilization process equipment through means of catalytic oxidation.
Advanced Air Technology® dry bed systems to control residual emissions from the gas rooms, sterilizer rooms, and post-sterile warehouse through means of absorption.
System-wide upgrades designed to minimize EO emissions throughout the sterilization process.