Environmental Health Risks

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final order banning most uses of methylene chloride, a chemical found in some industrial and consumer paint-removing products.

The EPA said it took the action because the chemical is “known to cause liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, cancer of the blood, and cancer of the central nervous system, as well as neurotoxicity, liver harm and even death.”

The rule does allow some uses of the chemical but only with a newly developed worker protection program.

“Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families across this country for too long, including some who saw loved ones go to work and never come home,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan.

“EPA’s final action brings an end to unsafe methylene chloride practices and implements the strongest worker protections possible for the few remaining industrial uses, ensuring no one in this country is put in harm’s way by this dangerous chemical.”

Consumer uses

Methylene chloride is used by consumers for aerosol degreasing and paint and coating brush cleaners, in commercial applications such as adhesives and sealants, and in industrial settings for making other chemicals. For example, methylene chloride is used in the production of more climate-friendly refrigerant chemicals.

The chemical has primarily been used in industrial settings, stripping paint from metal. The United Steel Workers Union issued a statement praising the ban, saying it would promote the health of steelworkers.

David McCall, international president of the union, says more than 100,000 workers die from occupational disease each year, including those sickened by harmful chemical exposures. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken steps to protect consumers from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or forever chemicals, in drinking water. 

For the first time, the agency has a set of standards that will limit how much of the toxic chemicals are allowed in drinking water, which will ultimately benefit consumers across the country. The EPA is hopeful that these efforts will limit exposure to forever chemicals and reduce the risk of disease related to such exposures. 

“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across the country for too long,” said Michael S. Regan, EPA administrator. “That is why President Biden has made tackling PFAS a top priority, investing historic resources to address these harmful chemicals and protect communities nationwide.” 

Keeping consumers safe and water clean

With this announcement, the EPA will require that PFAS levels in drinking water are kept to certain limits across the country. There are five primary types of PFAS that are part of the standard: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA. 

To ensure that these standards are met, the EPA is making $1 billion in funding available to public water utility companies nationwide. The funds are part of the $9 billion made through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was designed to help communities fight against PFAS exposure. 

According to the EPA’s estimations, as many as 10% of the 66,000 public water drinking systems will have to take action to comply with the new standards. The agency explained that the top three ways to reduce PFAS exposure in water are: ion exchange systems, granular activated carbon, and reverse osmosis.  

Over the next three years, these companies will have to report their PFAS levels to the EPA. If the levels are too high, they must move forward with one of the available options for lowering PFAS levels within five years. 

In making these changes across the country, the EPA estimates that 100 million people will no longer be exposed to PFAS in their water. This will ultimately prevent serious illnesses and deaths for thousands of consumers nationwide.