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Back to Tables and Charts
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| Plastic | Steam | Radiation | Ethylene Oxide | Dry Heat |
| Acetal | Good | No | Good | Good |
| Acrylic | Poor | Good | Good | –– |
| Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | Varies (1) | Good | Varies | –– |
| High-density polyethylene | Good | Good | Good | –– |
| Nylon | Varies (1) | Good | Good | No |
| Polycarbonate | Varies | Good | Good | Good |
| Polyester | Poor | Good | Good | –– |
| Polyethylene | Poor (1) | Good | Good | –– |
| Polyglycolic acid | No | No | Good | –– |
| Polymethyl pentene | Good | Poor | Good | OK, no load |
| Polypropylene | Good | Varies | Good | OK, no load |
| Polypropylene & polyethylene copolymer | Good | Good | Good | OK, no load |
| Polystyrene | Poor | Good | Good | –– |
| Polysulfone | Good | Good | Good | Yes |
| Polyurethane | Poor | Good | Good | –– |
| Polyvinyl chloride | Varies (1) | Varies | Good | –– |
| Polyvinylidene fluoride | Good | Good | Good | –– |
| PTFE | Varies | No | Good | OK |
| Silicone | Good | Good | Good | Low temp. |
(1) There are many materials that can be damaged by high-temperature heat, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylic, styrene, low-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc.; however, acetal, polypropylene and PTFE could be possible candidates for heat because these materials can be damaged by radiation. Polyurethane may be hydrolytically attacked by steam but not by low-temperature dry heat, EtO or radiation. Material compatibility and considerations need to be evaluated before accepting any sterilization method listed above. See Maximum Sterilization Temperatures for various materials.