US EPA Proposes New Rules to Regulate Trichloroethylene (TCE) for a Safer Environment and Health

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed rule aimed at addressing the potential harm to human health posed by trichloroethylene (TCE). This widely-used chemical, found in various industrial, commercial, and consumer applications, has raised concerns about its effects on health and the environment.

TCE, a solvent utilized in processes such as hydrofluorocarbon production, degreasing, and lubricants, has been linked to significant adverse health impacts. These effects include liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity, and various forms of cancer. TCE is considered a neurotoxicant and is known to be carcinogenic to humans through multiple exposure routes.

To mitigate these identified risks, the EPA's proposal includes the following measures:

1. Prohibiting the manufacture, import, processing, and commercial distribution of TCE for all applications.
2. Implementing longer compliance timeframes and workplace controls for certain uses of TCE, with proposed phaseouts and time-limited exemptions.
3. Banning the disposal of TCE in industrial pre-treatment, industrial treatment, and publicly owned treatment works, with a limited exemption for cleanup projects.
4. Establishing recordkeeping and downstream notification requirements.

These regulations aim to ensure the safety of both human health and the environment by reducing the exposure to TCE and its associated risks. The proposal seeks to fulfill the requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by addressing the unreasonable risks posed by TCE.

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