EPA Proposes Banning Cancer-Causing Chemical Trichloroethylene

The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed banning the cancer-causing chemical trichloroethylene, which can be found in consumer products including automobile brake cleaners, furniture care and arts and crafts spray coating.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed banning the cancer-causing chemical trichloroethylene (TCE). The move, announced on Monday, would end a nearly four-decade battle to ban the chemical, which can cause sudden death or kidney cancer if a person is exposed to high levels of it, and other neurological harm even at lower exposure over a long period.

TCE's Harmful Effects

EPA's recent risk-evaluation studies found that as much as 250 million pounds of TCE are still produced in the United States annually. One of the first places the chemical raised concerns was in Massachusetts, where it was linked to contaminated drinking water in the city of Woburn. Two locations there were ultimately designated as massive Superfund sites.

Addressing the Toxic Legacy

EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Michal Freedhoff, emphasized the need to address the toxic legacy of TCE in communities across America. The proposed ban is seen as a major step towards protecting people from exposure to this cancer-causing chemical.

Support from Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey

Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, who has led the effort to ban TCE, welcomed the EPA's move. He highlighted the importance of no longer manufacturing, processing, or distributing a chemical known to be deadly. Markey, who has worked closely with Woburn resident and activist Anne Anderson, emphasized the personal nature of this effort, as her son Jimmy died of leukemia in 1981 due to TCE contamination.

Industry Response

The American Chemistry Council expressed concerns about the proposed ban, stating that TCE has several important uses in packaging and formulating products. The council urged the EPA to avoid unnecessarily restricting valuable industrial uses for the chemical and emphasized the need for risk management proposals to be based on the best available science.

Environmental Groups Praise the Proposal

Environmental groups, on the other hand, praised the proposed rule. Earthjustice Senior Attorney Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz stated that the EPA followed the science, listened to impacted communities, and proposed one of the strongest chemical regulations in recent history. He emphasized that some chemicals are simply too harmful to remain on the market.

Banning TCE Under the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act

The proposed ban stems from a major expansion of EPA's regulatory powers under the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act of 2016. This landmark law overhauled rules governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products. The law authorized new rules for substances known to cause cancer, such as asbestos and TCE, which were largely unregulated under previous federal laws.

The EPA's proposed ban on TCE marks a significant step towards protecting public health and addressing the harmful effects of toxic chemicals. With the support of lawmakers, environmental groups, and impacted communities, the ban aims to end the legacy of TCE contamination and prevent future exposure to this cancer-causing chemical.