EPA to ban TCE use as aerosol degreaser, dry cleaning spot remover

by Brianna Crandall — December 16, 2016 — Of particular relevance to facilities managers who oversee certain industrial facilities or buildings that include dry cleaning services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to ban specific uses of the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) due to health risks when used as a degreaser or a spot removal agent in dry cleaning.

EPA identified serious risks to workers and consumers associated with trichloroethylene uses in a 2014 assessment that concluded that the chemical can cause a range of adverse health effects, including cancer, development and neurotoxicological effects, and toxicity to the liver.

Specifically, EPA is proposing to prohibit manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for use in aerosol degreasing and for use in spot cleaning in dry cleaning facilities.  EPA is also proposing to require manufacturers, processors, and distributors to notify retailers and others in their supply chains of the prohibitions.

EPA’s assessment also found risks associated with TCE use in vapor degreasing, and the agency is developing a separate proposed regulatory action to address those risks. Last week, EPA announced the inclusion of trichloroethylene on the list of the first ten chemicals to be evaluated for risk under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). That action will allow EPA will evaluate the other remaining uses of the chemical. This current action only proposes to ban certain uses of the chemical.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register. Once published, the proposed rule and supporting documents will be available in the Federal Register docket by searching for HQ-OPPT-2016-0163.

Learn more about trichloroethylene or about last week’s announcement about the first ten chemicals to be evaluated under TSCA on the EPA Web site.