Non-urgent surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax will be cancelled for a third day on Wednesday due to equipment sterilization problems.

Nova Scotia Health Authority officials say about 80 surgeries will be postponed Wednesday. On Monday and Tuesday, a total of 167 procedures were cancelled.

Hospital staff noticed a fine black dust on sterilized surgery trays on April 11 and determined the sterilization process wasn't working, according to the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Test results on the debris are due back late Tuesday.

All urgent and emergency procedures will continue with equipment sterilized at other facilities.

"Clinical teams are meeting daily to decide which surgeries can be safely postponed," a statement from the health authority said. "Patients whose surgeries are postponed are being notified by telephone."

About 50 per cent of all clinic procedures will be rescheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, in order to save surgical trays for emergency surgeries.

Decisions about further cancellations will be made Wednesday.