Quick summary:
• The EPA permanently bans TCE and PCE, chemicals linked to cancer and neurological damage, under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
• TCE is now prohibited in nearly all uses, including degreasers, furniture care, and auto repair products, with safer alternatives widely available.
• PCE, a common dry-cleaning solvent, will be phased out over a 10-year timeline, with stringent workplace protections for limited uses.
• These chemicals have contaminated drinking water, air, and soil, affecting communities like Woburn, Massachusetts, and Camp Lejeune.
• The ban aligns with Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative and aims to reduce exposure for workers and consumers across the U.S.
• Advocacy efforts spanning decades brought attention to TCE and PCE’s dangers, inspiring stricter regulations and legal action.
• Advocates warn of potential political rollbacks but celebrate the ban as a victory for public health and environmental justice.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a landmark decision this week to permanently ban trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), two toxic chemicals widely used in U.S. industries. Citing the severe health and environmental risks these chemicals pose, the Biden administration framed the ban as a critical step under its Cancer Moonshot initiative and the bipartisan 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amendments.
TCE, a solvent used in degreasing agents, auto repair, furniture care, and refrigerant production, has long been associated with severe health hazards, including liver and kidney cancers, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and central nervous system damage. PCE, widely used in dry cleaning and adhesives, is linked to brain, testicular, liver, and kidney cancers, as well as neurotoxicity and reproductive harm. Both chemicals contaminate soil and water, further endangering public health.
“TCE and PCE have caused too much harm for too long, despite the existence of safer alternatives,” said Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz, a senior attorney at Earthjustice. These carcinogens have been detected in drinking water across the U.S. and were central to the contamination at Camp Lejeune, where residents and military personnel suffered long-term exposure.
The EPA’s sweeping rules prohibit nearly all uses of TCE and PCE, with exceptions for critical national security and climate-related functions. TCE’s ban will take effect for most uses within a year, with workplace safety measures required for remaining applications. PCE will be phased out over a longer period, including a 10-year timeline for its elimination in dry cleaning.
The EPA introduced a Workplace Chemical Protection Program to safeguard employees in industries where limited use of PCE or TCE will temporarily continue. This program mandates stringent monitoring, exposure limits, and transparency, giving employees and their representatives access to occupational safety data.
The agency emphasized that safer alternatives exist for most applications, reducing the need for these toxic substances in both consumer and industrial settings. Michal Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, stated, “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.”
The bans are expected to yield significant health benefits. By eliminating widespread exposure to TCE and PCE, the EPA estimates reduced risks of cancer, immune disorders, and developmental harms for millions of Americans. Vulnerable groups, including workers in dry cleaning facilities and auto repair shops, stand to gain the most.
Environmental impacts are equally important. TCE and PCE contamination has devastated ecosystems, poisoned drinking water, and fueled costly Superfund cleanup projects. Their removal aligns with broader efforts to combat climate change, as some remaining uses of these chemicals will support the transition to low-impact refrigerants under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
Advocates for chemical safety have fought for decades to ban TCE and PCE. Anne Anderson, a mother from Woburn, Massachusetts, began raising awareness in the 1980s after toxic contamination caused a cluster of childhood leukemia cases, including the death of her son. Her advocacy, chronicled in the book and film A Civil Action, exposed the devastating human toll of corporate negligence and weak regulations.
Jerry M. Ensminger, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant, also championed this cause after losing his nine-year-old daughter to leukemia linked to Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water supply. Reflecting on the EPA’s decision, Ensminger said, “This is proof that our fight for justice at Camp Lejeune was not in vain.”
The road to regulation was hindered by decades of corporate lobbying and administrative inertia. Despite overwhelming evidence of harm, regulatory action stalled until Congress strengthened the TSCA in 2016, granting the EPA greater authority to address toxic chemicals.
While environmental and health advocates celebrated the ban, industry groups expressed concerns over its economic impact and implementation timelines. The dry cleaning industry, in particular, faces challenges transitioning to PCE-free technologies.
The EPA’s decision also risks political rollback under the Congressional Review Act. With Republicans poised to assume control of the Senate, there are fears that industry-backed lawmakers may seek to overturn the rule. Advocates like Kalmuss-Katz warn that such efforts would encounter fierce opposition from communities devastated by TCE and PCE exposure.
This ban is seen as a significant victory for environmental justice, addressing long-standing disparities in chemical exposure. Low-income and minority communities, disproportionately affected by industrial pollution, will benefit from the reduced risks associated with TCE and PCE.
“This is a milestone moment,” said Senator Ed Markey, who has championed stricter chemical safety laws. “Despite their dangers, these chemicals could still be found in industries like dry cleaning, automotive repair, and manufacturing. With no doubt that these chemicals are deadly, there is no doubt that this final rule will save lives—especially our children’s lives—around the country.”
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