The global ethylene oxide sterilization services market was valued at USD 4,595.46 million in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period. Ethylene oxide is primarily used in healthcare facilities to sterilize critical items that are moisture or heat sensitive & can’t be sterilized via steam. This sterilization service has gained huge momentum in the healthcare industry. Over 50% of all medical device types are sterilized with the help of ethylene oxide. And nearly 50 million U.S. medical devices are sterilized daily by ethylene oxide. The growing popularity of ethylene oxide sterilization services is improving market expansion worldwide.
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Ethylene oxide is a gas used throughout manufacturing to sterilize various medical and non-medical products. It is an essential sterilization service for avoiding infection in patients undergoing surgical processes and other medical treatments. Hospitals, medical centers, and research institutions broadly use this technology to minimize the risks of infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. This service is compatible with various materials commonly used in medical devices and equipment, including plastics, rubber, and electronics. This makes it an ideal sterilization method for many medical products.
Growing technological advancements in using sterilization agents and equipment in industrial facilities and increasing awareness regarding cleanliness across all facilities are also boosting the market growth. To reduce the risks of infections, bacteria, and fungi, the need for sterilization has accelerated across the medical sector. However, technological advancements, a growing disease burden, and a growing number of surgeries performed globally are generating significant revenue in the market. For example, according to AAFPRS, in 2021, an estimated 1.4 million surgical and non-surgical procedures were performed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced the need for ethylene oxide sterilization services across the healthcare industry. The increased demand for medical devices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other healthcare products due to the pandemic has led to a surge in demand for sterilization. This has significantly strained the ethylene oxide sterilization industry, which has struggled to keep up with the augmented demand.
Furthermore, there were rising concerns regarding the safety of ethylene oxide sterilization due to the potential health risks associated with its use. For example, in March 2020, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided an update on efforts being undertaken in collaboration with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to upsurge production safely and rapidly at sterilization facilities in the cities of Covington and Madison in response to the dramatically enlarged demand for sterile medical devices during the COVID-19 response.
Growth Drivers
Government initiatives in sterilization services are the foremost aspect driving the growth of the global ethylene oxide sterilization services market. Sterilization of medical devices is a vital process that helps to avoid serious infections. This is widely recognized and accepted as a sterilization method by regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which helps to ensure that medical products meet safety and quality standards.
For example, in August 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration constantly worked to oversee sterilization techniques for these devices to confirm that they were effective and safe for patients and healthcare professionals. Similarly, in August 2022, the FDA encouraged innovation in medical device sterilization while decreasing adverse environmental impacts. This support from the government has improved sterilization techniques and services, further boosting the market growth.
Numerous healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), such as central line-associated bloodstream infections and ventilator events, experienced expanded prevalence following Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. In American hospitals alone, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that HAIs account for a projected 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths yearly. Appropriate infection prevention & control practices are imperative to keep patients safe. Ethylene oxide sterilization is an amazing service that prevents ongoing risks from HAIs and supports infection-free medical devices. This, in turn, escalated the demand for this service throughout the medical, healthcare, research, and manufacturing industries.
The market is primarily segmented based on end use, and region.
By End-Use |
By Region |
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In 2022, the hospital segment garnered the largest market share. Most surgical and medical devices used in healthcare services are made of heat-stable materials and thus undergo heat, mainly steam sterilization. Ethylene oxide is widely used in this segment to sterilize critical heat or moisture-sensitive items that cannot be sterilized by steam. For example, each year, nearly 15 million Americans have surgery. Most surgeries contain at least one device sterilized by ethylene oxide. Surgical instruments such as scalpels, forceps, scissors, clamps, and devices like endoscopes and catheters require thorough sterilization to ensure that they are free from harmful microorganisms that could cause infections or other health complications.
The number of hospitals is also escalating in large numbers worldwide. For instance, after performing an annual survey by the American Hospital Association, there were almost 6,093 hospitals in the U.S. alone in 2022. The growing number of hospitals is improving the demand for sterilization of medical devices used for surgeries and other purposes. This is further augmenting sales on the global market. Moreover, sterilization services also help reduce the growth of HAIs in the hospital.
North America is likely to dominate the market during the projected period. This is due to a well-established healthcare sector, rising awareness regarding patients' health, and major service providers in the region. The intensifying prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), orthopedic ailments, and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders among the population is predicted to support market growth.
For example, per statistics published by the American Cancer Society, around 1.9 Mn new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed & approximately 609,360 people will die from cancer in the U.S. alone. An increasing number of cases is leading to rising infections among the population. Thus, sterilization areas and medical devices are necessary during surgical procedures. This is bolstering the growth of the market in the North American region.
Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the global market due to the growing development in the R&D sector, technological advancements in medical device manufacturing, and an upsurge in the incidence of hospital-acquired infections in emerging economies. Governments across various countries have endorsed the healthcare industry as an imperative growth engine under the economic revitalization and growth strategy.
Some of the major players operating in the global ethylene oxide sterilization services market include 3M, Getinge, Sterigenics, Sotera Company, Ionisos, Andersen Sterilizers, Cosmed Group, & Sterility Equipment.
Report Attributes |
Details |
Market size value in 2024 |
USD 5,066.49 million |
Revenue forecast in 2032 |
USD 11,168.31 million |
CAGR |
10.4% from 2024 - 2032 |
Base year |
2023 |
Historical data |
2019 – 2022 |
Forecast period |
2024 – 2032 |
Quantitative units |
Revenue in USD million and CAGR from 2024 to 2032 |
Segments covered |
By End-Use, By Region |
Regional scope |
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America; Middle East & Africa |
Key companies |
3M, Getinge AB, Sterigenics U.S., LLC- A Sotera Company, Ionisos, Andersen Sterilizers, Cosmed Group, and Sterility Equipment India Private Limited, and other. |
The ethylene oxide sterilization services market report covering key segments are end use, and region.
Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Services Market Size Worth $11,168.31 Million By 2032.
The global ethylene oxide sterilization services market expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period.
North America is leading the global market.
key driving factors in ethylene oxide sterilization services market are increase in use of endoscopic reprocessors.