EPA Bans 2 Widely Used Cancer-Causing Chemicals

A woman looks at cleaning products as she shops in a grocery story in Arlington, Va., on Nov. 10, 2021. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a ban on two chemicals known for their potential to cause cancer, which are present in a variety of commercial and industrial products.

The ban restricts the use of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), two carcinogenic organic solvents that can be used interchangeably.

“It’s simply unacceptable to continue to allow cancer-causing chemicals to be used for things like glue, dry cleaning, or stain removers when safer alternatives exist,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, in a press release.

Labeled “extremely toxic” by the EPA, TCE is capable of causing damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive organs in very small concentrations. The agency said the chemical is known to cause liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

TCE is used as a solvent in a variety of consumer products, including cleaning and furniture care products, degreasers, sealants, lubricants, adhesives, paints, and arts and crafts spray coatings. According to the EPA, safer alternatives are readily available for the majority of these uses.

PCE, commonly known as “perc,” is a chemical widely used for fabric dry cleaning, though it is also used as an automotive brake cleaner. It is a known cause of liver, kidney, brain, and testicular cancer, and is toxic to the nervous, reproductive, and immune systems, kidneys, and liver.

According to the EPA, PCE can biodegrade into the highly toxic TCE, and PCE may contain trace amounts of TCE as an impurity.

The rule bans the manufacture, import, processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for all uses, effective within one year, though some industrial and commercial uses are given longer compliance deadlines. These uses include cleaning parts in aircraft, medical devices, and defense systems.

For some uses where TCE is prohibited, PCE can continue to be used as an alternative, albeit under strict conditions. Examples of such exceptions include the industrial and commercial use of PCE as an energized electrical cleaner, laboratory use for asphalt testing and recovery, and manufacturing of environmentally safe refrigerants.

The ban was taken under the bipartisan 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amendments and aligns with President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot goal to prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has been advocating for a ban on TCE ever since he was approached 40 years ago by a mother named Anne Anderson after her son died from cancer caused by the toxic chemicals.

“Anne’s work directly led to this announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency that I am overjoyed to celebrate today alongside her and every community that stands to benefit,” Markey said.

From NTD News