88R6639 ANG-D
 
  By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 2385
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to regulation of certain emissions from ethylene oxide
  sterilization facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 382.0201(b), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  Except as provided by Section 382.0202 and as
  specifically required to comply with federal law or regulation, the
  commission may not adopt a rule that lessens the efficacy of a
  hospital or medical disinfectant in killing or inactivating agents
  of an infectious disease, including a rule restricting volatile
  organic compound content of or emissions from the disinfectant.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 382, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 382.0202 to read as follows:
         Sec. 382.0202.  REGULATION OF EMISSIONS FROM ETHYLENE OXIDE
  STERILIZATION FACILITIES. (a) The commission by rule shall
  prohibit ethylene oxide sterilization facilities from operating in
  this state unless:
               (1)  the facility captures all fugitive ethylene oxide
  emissions within the facility; and
               (2)  the facility reduces ethylene oxide emissions to
  the atmosphere from each exhaust point by at least 99.9 percent or
  to 0.2 parts per million.
         (b)  The commission shall install monitors to detect
  ethylene oxide emissions from each ethylene oxide sterilization
  facility located less than two miles from a school, hospital,
  nursing home, or residence.
         (c)  The commission shall require the owner or operator of an
  ethylene oxide sterilization facility to conduct an emissions test
  to confirm the facility's compliance with commission ethylene oxide
  emissions rules. The test must be conducted not later than February
  28 of each year.
         (d)  If the facility fails an emissions test conducted under
  Subsection (c), the facility's owner or operator shall:
               (1)  immediately cease facility operations;
               (2)  notify the commission of the test results not
  later than 24 hours after receiving the test results; and
               (3)  take the following actions not later than the 60th
  day after the date the facility receives the test results:
                     (A)  conduct an analysis to determine the cause of
  the detected emissions; and
                     (B)  correct the cause of the detected emissions.
         (e)  The facility's owner or operator must obtain commission
  approval before resuming facility operations.
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall
  adopt rules necessary to implement Section 382.0202, Health and
  Safety Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.