Sotera Health S1 IPO registration | SHC 23 Oct 20

Exhibit 10.11

GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

dated as of

December 13, 2019,

among

SOTERA HEALTH TOPCO, INC.,

as Holdings,

SOTERA HEALTH HOLDINGS, LLC,

as Borrower,

THE OTHER GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO

and

JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC,

as First Lien Collateral Agent

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page

	ARTICLE I

	Definitions
SECTION 1.01.	First Lien Credit Agreement		1
SECTION 1.02.	Other Defined Terms		2

	ARTICLE II

	The Guarantees
SECTION 2.01.	Guarantee		3
SECTION 2.02.	Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee		3
SECTION 2.03.	No Limitations		3
SECTION 2.04.	Reinstatement		5
SECTION 2.05.	Agreement to Pay; Subrogation		5
SECTION 2.06.	Information		5
SECTION 2.07.	Payments Free of Taxes		6

	ARTICLE III

	Indemnity, Subrogation and Subordination
SECTION 3.01.	Indemnity and Subrogation		6
SECTION 3.02.	Contribution and Subrogation		6
SECTION 3.03.	Subordination		6

	ARTICLE IV

	Representations and Warranties

	ARTICLE V

	Miscellaneous

SECTION 5.01.	Notices		7
SECTION 5.02.	Waivers; Amendment		7
SECTION 5.03.	First Lien Collateral Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification		8
SECTION 5.04.	Successors and Assigns		8
SECTION 5.05.	Survival of Agreement		9
SECTION 5.06.	Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement		9
SECTION 5.07.	Severability		9


SECTION 5.08.	Right of Set-Off	9
SECTION 5.09.	Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process; Appointment of Service of Process Agent	10
SECTION 5.10.	WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL	10
SECTION 5.11.	Headings	11
SECTION 5.12.	Termination or Release	11
SECTION 5.13.	Additional Guarantors	11
SECTION 5.14.	Keepwell	11

Schedules

I	Subsidiary Guarantors

Exhibits

A	Form of Supplement to Guarantee Agreement

FIRST LIEN GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of December 13, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among SOTERA HEALTH TOPCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), SOTERA HEALTH HOLDINGS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the other GUARANTORS from time to time party hereto and JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC (“Jefferies”), as First Lien Collateral Agent and First Lien Administrative Agent, in each case on behalf of itself and the other Secured Parties (in such capacities, collectively, the “First Lien Collateral Agent”).

Reference is made to (i) the First Lien Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “First Lien Credit Agreement”) among Holdings, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks from time to time party thereto and Jefferies, as First Lien Administrative Agent and (ii) the First Lien Collateral Agreement dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “First Lien Collateral Agreement”), among Holdings, the Borrower, and the other Grantors party thereto (each as defined therein) and the First Lien Collateral Agent.

WHEREAS, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the First Lien Credit Agreement;

WHEREAS, the obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, and the Subsidiary Guarantors are affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Issuing Banks to extend such credit.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. First Lien Credit Agreement. (a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement (including in the introductory paragraph hereto) and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings specified in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.03 of the First Lien Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

“Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

“Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

“Claiming Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.02.

“Contributing Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.02.

“First Lien Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

“First Lien Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

“Guarantors” means Holdings, any Intermediate Parent party hereto, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

“Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

“Qualified ECP Loan Party” means, in respect of any Secured Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee or grant of the relevant security interest becomes effective with respect to such Secured Swap Obligation or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means the Subsidiaries of the Borrower identified as such on Schedule I hereto and each other Subsidiary of Holdings that becomes a party to this Agreement as a Guarantor on or after the date hereof pursuant to Section 5.13; provided that if a Subsidiary is released from its obligations as a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder as provided in Section 5.12(b), such Subsidiary shall cease to be a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder effective upon such release. For the avoidance of doubt, Subsidiary Guarantors are referred to as “Subsidiary Loan Parties” in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

“Supplement” means an instrument in the form of Exhibit A hereto, or any other form approved by the First Lien Collateral Agent, and in each case reasonably satisfactory to the First Lien Collateral Agent.

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ARTICLE II

THE GUARANTEES

SECTION 2.01. Guarantee. Each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each of the Secured Parties, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, the due and punctual payment and performance of the Secured Obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that the Secured Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, or amended or modified, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any such extension or renewal, or amendment or modification, of any of the Secured Obligations. Each Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Secured Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee and notice of protest for nonpayment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder at any time shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render its obligations hereunder subject to avoidance as a fraudulent transfer or conveyance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provisions of any other applicable law, in each case to the extent (if any) applicable to such Guarantor.

SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee. Each Guarantor further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy or similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual of collection of any of the Secured Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not merely of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the First Lien Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to any security held for the payment of any of the Secured Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of the First Lien Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party in favor of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Person. Each Guarantor agrees that its guarantee hereunder is continuing in nature and applies to all of the Secured Obligations, whether currently existing or hereafter incurred.

SECTION 2.03. No Limitations. (a) Except for the termination or release of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 5.12, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Secured Obligations, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of the Secured Obligations, any impossibility in the performance of any of the Secured Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for the termination or release of its obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 5.12, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by:

(i) the failure of any Secured Party or any other Person to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any First Lien Loan Document or otherwise;

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(ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment, restatement or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any First Lien Loan Document or any other agreement, including with respect to any other Guarantor under this Agreement;

(iii) the release of, or any impairment of or failure to perfect any Lien on, any security held by any Secured Party for any of the Secured Obligations;

(iv) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Secured Obligations;

(v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the occurrence of the Termination Date);

(vi) any illegality, lack of validity or lack of enforceability of any of the Secured Obligations.

(vii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Loan Party, including by way of merger or amalgamation, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Loan Party or its assets or any resulting release or discharge of any of the Secured Obligations;

(viii) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights that any Guarantor may have at any time against the Borrower, the First Lien Collateral Agent, any other Secured Party or any other Person, whether in connection with the First Lien Credit Agreement, the other First Lien Loan Documents or any unrelated transaction;

(ix) this Agreement having been determined (on whatsoever grounds) to be invalid, non-binding or unenforceable against any other Guarantor ab initio or at any time after the Effective Date;

(x) the fact that any Person that, pursuant to the First Lien Loan Documents, was required to become a party hereto may not have executed or is not effectually bound by this Agreement, whether or not this fact is known to the Secured Parties;

(xi) any action permitted or authorized hereunder; or

(xii) any other circumstance, or any existence of or reliance on any representation by the First Lien Collateral Agent, any Secured Party or any other Person, that might otherwise constitute a defense to, or a legal or equitable discharge of, the Borrower, any Guarantor or any other guarantor or surety (other than the occurrence of the Termination Date).

Each Guarantor expressly authorizes the Secured Parties to take and hold security in accordance with the terms of the First Lien Loan Documents for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Secured Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.

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(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the Secured Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party (other than the occurrence of the Termination Date). The First Lien Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties may, at their election and in accordance with the terms of the First Lien Loan Documents, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Secured Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Termination Date has occurred. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case may be, or any security.

SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement. Each Guarantor agrees that, unless released pursuant to Section 5.12(b), its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Secured Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Secured Party upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization (or any analogous proceeding in any jurisdiction) of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or otherwise.

SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the First Lien Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party has at applicable law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any Secured Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the First Lien Collateral Agent for distribution to the applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Secured Obligation. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the First Lien Collateral Agent as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article III.

SECTION 2.06. Information. Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Secured Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the Secured Parties will have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.

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SECTION 2.07. Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Guarantor hereunder or under any other First Lien Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes on the same terms and to the same extent that payments by the Borrower are required to be so made pursuant to the terms of Section 2.17 of the First Lien Credit Agreement. The provisions of Section 2.17 of the First Lien Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor, mutatis mutandis.

ARTICLE III

INDEMNITY, SUBROGATION AND SUBORDINATION

SECTION 3.01. Indemnity and Subrogation. In addition to all such rights of indemnity and subrogation as the Guarantors may have under applicable law (but subject to Section 3.03) in respect of any payment hereunder, the Borrower agrees that (a) in the event a payment in respect of any obligation of the Borrower shall be made by any Guarantor under this Agreement, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor for the full amount of such payment and such Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the Person to whom such payment shall have been made to the extent of such payment and (b) in the event any assets of any Guarantor shall be sold pursuant to any Security Document to satisfy in whole or in part any Secured Obligations owed to any Secured Party, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor in an amount equal to the greater of the book value or the fair market value of the assets so sold.

SECTION 3.02. Contribution and Subrogation. Each Guarantor (a “Contributing Party”) agrees (subject to Section 3.03) that, in the event a payment shall be made by any other Guarantor hereunder in respect of any Secured Obligations or assets of any other Guarantor (other than the Borrower) shall be sold pursuant to any Security Document to satisfy any Secured Obligation owed to any Secured Party and such other Guarantor (the “Claiming Party”) shall not have been fully indemnified as provided in Section 3.01, the Contributing Party shall indemnify the Claiming Party in an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the greater of the book value or the fair market value of such assets, as the case may be, in each case multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the net worth of the Contributing Party on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Guarantor becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section 5.13, the date of the Supplement executed and delivered by such Guarantor) and the denominator shall be the aggregate net worth of all the Guarantors on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Guarantor becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section 5.13, such other date). Any Contributing Party making any payment to a Claiming Party pursuant to this Section 3.02 shall be subrogated to the rights of such Claiming Party under Section 3.01 to the extent of such payment.

SECTION 3.03. Subordination. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Guarantors under Sections 3.01 and 3.02 and all other rights of the Guarantors of indemnity, contribution or subrogation under applicable law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of all the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations). No failure on the part of the Borrower or any Guarantor to make the payments required by Sections 3.01 and 3.02 (or any other payments required under applicable law or otherwise) shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and each Guarantor shall remain liable for the full amount of the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder.

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(b) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and after notice from the First Lien Collateral Agent (provided that no such notice shall be required to be given in the case of any Event of Default arising under Section 7.01(h) or 7.01(i) of the First Lien Credit Agreement), all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations owed by it to, or to it by, any other Guarantor or any other Subsidiary of Holdings shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of all the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations).

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Guarantor represents and warrants to the First Lien Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties that (a) the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action and, if required, action by the holders of such Guarantor’s Equity Interests, and that this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Guarantor and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, court protection, administration or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and (b) all representations and warranties set forth in the First Lien Credit Agreement as to such Guarantor are true and correct in all material respects; provided that, to the extent such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language is true and correct in all respects.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 5.01. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the First Lien Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Guarantor shall be given to it in care of Holdings as provided in Section 9.01 of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

SECTION 5.02. Waivers; Amendment. (a) No failure or delay by the First Lien Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other First Lien Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the First Lien Collateral Agent and the other

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Secured Parties hereunder and under the other First Lien Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that the First Lien Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 5.02, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the First Lien Collateral Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the First Lien Collateral Agent and the Guarantor or Guarantors with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 9.02 of the First Lien Credit Agreement; provided that the First Lien Collateral Agent may, without the consent of any Secured Party, consent to a departure by any Guarantor from any covenant of such Guarantor set forth herein to the extent such departure is consistent with the authority of the First Lien Collateral Agent set forth in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” in the First Lien Credit Agreement or in Section 9.02(b) of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

SECTION 5.03. First Lien Collateral Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification. (a) Each Guarantor, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, agrees to reimburse the First Lien Collateral Agent for its fees and expenses incurred hereunder as provided in Section 9.03(a) of the First Lien Credit Agreement and to indemnify the Indemnitees as set forth in Section 9.03(b) of the First Lien Credit Agreement;¹ provided that each reference therein to the “Borrower” shall be deemed to be a reference to “each Guarantor.”

(b) The provisions of this Section 5.03 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, the repayment of any of the Secured Obligations, the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any investigation made by or on behalf of any Secured Party. Any such amounts payable as provided hereunder shall be additional Secured Obligations.

SECTION 5.04. Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Agreement any of the parties hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the permitted successors and assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of any Guarantor or the First Lien Collateral Agent that are contained in this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

1 Note to Victor: See attached redline.

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SECTION 5.05. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in this Agreement and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement and the shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Secured Parties and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, , in each case, in accordance with and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.05 of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

SECTION 5.06. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as to any Guarantor when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Guarantor shall have been delivered to the First Lien Collateral Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the First Lien Collateral Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Guarantor and the First Lien Collateral Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such Guarantor, the First Lien Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Guarantor shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein (and any such assignment or transfer shall be void) except as expressly provided in this Agreement and the First Lien Credit Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Guarantor and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Guarantor without the approval of any other Guarantor and without affecting the obligations of any other Guarantor hereunder.

SECTION 5.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.08. Right of Set-Off. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, and the Issuing Bank is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or such Issuing Bank to or for the credit or the account of any Guarantor against any of and all the obligations of such Guarantor then due and owing under this Agreement held by such Lender or such Issuing Bank, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although (i) such obligations may be contingent or unmatured and (ii) such obligations are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or such Issuing Bank different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such Indebtedness. The applicable Lender and Issuing Bank shall notify the applicable Guarantor and the First Lien Collateral Agent of such setoff and application; provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such setoff and application under this Section 5.08. The rights of each Lender and each Issuing Bank under this Section 5.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender and such Issuing Bank.

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SECTION 5.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process; Appointment of Service of Process Agent. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

(b) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other First Lien Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding may be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the First Lien Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against any Guarantor or its respective properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 5.09. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 5.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement or any other First Lien Loan Document to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

(e) Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates, appoints and empowers the Borrower as its designee, appointee and agent to receive, accept and acknowledge for and on its behalf, and in respect of its property, service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and documents that may be served in any such action or proceeding and the Borrower hereby accepts such designation and appointment.

SECTION 5.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT,

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ANY OTHER FIRST LIEN LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER FIRST LIEN LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 5.10.

SECTION 5.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.12. Termination or Release. (a) Subject to Section 2.04, this Agreement and the Guarantees made herein shall terminate automatically on the Termination Date.

(b) The guarantees made herein shall also terminate and be released at the time or times and in the manner set forth in Section 9.14 of the First Lien Credit Agreement.

(c) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 5.12, the First Lien Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release so long as the applicable Loan Party shall have provided the First Lien Collateral Agent such certifications or documents as the First Lien Collateral Agent shall reasonably request in order to demonstrate compliance with this Section 5.12. Any execution and delivery of documents by the First Lien Collateral Agent pursuant to this Section 5.12 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the First Lien Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party.

SECTION 5.13. Additional Guarantors. Additional Persons may become Guarantors after the date hereof as contemplated by the First Lien Credit Agreement. Upon execution and delivery by the First Lien Collateral Agent and a Person of a Supplement, any such Person shall become a Guarantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as such herein. The execution and delivery of any such instrument shall not require the consent of any other Guarantor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any Person as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 5.14. Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Loan Party, jointly and severally, hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of such Loan Party’s obligations under this Agreement and the other First Lien Loan Documents in

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respect of Secured Swap Obligations (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Loan Party shall only be liable under this Section 5.14 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 5.14, or otherwise under this Agreement or the other First Lien Loan Documents, voidable under applicable law, including fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer laws, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Loan Party under this Section 5.14 shall remain in full force and effect until the Termination Date has occurred, in each case, in accordance with and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.05 of the First Lien Credit Agreement. Each Qualified ECP Loan Party intends that this Section 5.14 constitute, and this Section 5.14 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

[Signature Pages Follow]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this First Lien Guarantee Agreement as of the day and year first above written.


SOTERA HEALTH TOPCO, INC. as Holdings

By		/s/ Scott J. Leffler
		Name: Scott J. Leffler
		Title: Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer


SOTERA HEALTH HOLDINGS, LLC as Borrower

By		/s/ Scott J. Leffler
		Name: Scott J. Leffler
		Title: Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer


SOTERA HEALTH LLC
STERIGENICS U.S., LLC
NELSON LABORATORIES, LLC SOTERA HEALTH SERVICES, LLC, each as a Guarantor

By		/s/ Scott J. Leffler
		Name: Scott J. Leffler
		Title: Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

[Signature Page to the First Lien Guarantee Agreement]


JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, as First Lien Collateral Agent

By		/s/ Jason Kennedy
		Name: Jason Kennedy
		Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to the First Lien Guarantee Agreement]

Sotera Health (SHC) S-1IPO registration