The Environmental Protection Agency bans most uses of a toxic chemical often used to refinish furniture and bathtubs and that has been linked to dozens of deaths since 1980.
The agency announced a rule Tuesday that will limit all consumer uses of methylene chloride, as well as most industrial and commercial uses. Exempted uses include those “highly industrialized and important to national security and the economy,” such as climate-friendly coolants and parts for electric vehicles, according to the EPA.
The EPA restricts the use of methylene chloride approximately six years after a CBS News investigation prompted three major retailers – Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sherwin-Williams – to agree remove products containing the chemical from their shelves by the end of 2018.
Methylene chloride is known to cause various cancers, as well as neurotoxicity and liver damage, while direct exposure can lead to death, according to the EPA. At least 88 people have died from acute exposure to methylene chloride since 1980, most while renovating bathtubs or stripping paint, the agency said. Among the victims were workers trained and equipped with personal protective equipment.
“Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families across this country for too long, including some who have watched their loved ones go to work and never come home,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, in a press release. “EPA’s final action ends dangerous methylene chloride practices and implements the strongest possible worker protections for the few remaining industrial uses, ensuring that no one in this country is put at risk by this dangerous chemical.”
The radical restrictions come a year after the The EPA proposed the ban, citing the known and potentially fatal health risks of methylene chloride, which is also used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and refrigerants. It also follows the EPA’s decision earlier this month to limit so-called “forever chemicals” in tap water.
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