US EPA Proposes Ban on Cancer-causing Contaminant TCE Found in Manufacturing and Consumer Products

Proposed EPA ban targets trichloroethylene, a hazardous solvent found extensively in manufacturing and consumer products, linked to liver damage, Parkinson’s, and cancer, with new standards set to take effect within year for consumer goods and stricter regulations on industrial use following after.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes a plan to ban all uses of trichloroethylene (TCE), a carcinogenic chemical widely used in manufacturing and found in thousands of water sources globally.
TCE, used as a cleaning agent and degreaser primarily for metal, can also be found in paints, sealants, coatings, auto cleaning products, and refrigerants. Exposure to the chemical is linked to various health problems such as liver damage, Parkinson’s disease, and several types of cancer.
The proposed ban, which will take effect in a year for consumer products and most commercial uses, aims to phase out remaining commercial and industrial uses over time, with stringent worker protection measures in place.
While TCE use will be gradually eliminated in certain manufacturing processes, limited exemptions would include the production of battery separators for electric vehicles, some refrigerants, and cleanup of TCE-contaminated superfund sites.
Existing legislation, including the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was revised in 2016, has provided the EPA more power to regulate chemicals. These laws played a significant role in the proposal to ban the use of TCE.