The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on October 23 a proposal to ban all uses of trichloroethylene (TCE), an extremely toxic chemical known to cause serious health risks including cancer, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity.
TCE, which was originally developed as an anesthetic, is a widely used industrial chemical frequently found at Superfund sites as a contaminant in soil and groundwater. In previous monitoring of public water systems, 4.9 percent of samples from groundwater-supplied systems had TCE detections. The maximum contaminant level in drinking water, the highest concentration allowed for human water consumption, is 0.005 mg/l.
TCE is used in cleaning and furniture care products, degreasers, brake cleaners, and tire repair sealants, and a variety of safer alternatives are readily available for many uses. Commercial and industrial uses would be phased down over a longer period.
This action, taken under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), would protect people from these health risks by banning the manufacture, processing, and distribution of TCE for all uses. The EPA’s proposed risk management rule would take effect in one year for consumer products and most commercial uses and would implement stringent worker protections on the limited remaining uses.
Once published in the Federal Register there will be a 45-day comment period. Click here to learn more about TCE.