The Humming Cloud

The U.S. EPA banned most uses of the chemical methylene chloride today under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Methylene chloride is a carcinogen that affects the liver, lungs, breasts, brain, blood, and central nervous system, as well as a neurotoxin. EPA’s intent is to protect people from health risks while allowing key uses to continue safely with a new worker protection program. 

Methylene chloride is used as an aerosol degreaser and in commercial adhesives and sealants. It is also used industrially to make other chemicals, such as refrigerants. In my career, I have managed numerous environmental clean-up projects at sites with multiple solvents in the groundwater, and often methylene chloride provided the greatest carcinogenic risk of all the chemicals present. At sites contaminated with solvents, it was more common than not to find methylene chloride among the chemicals present.  

Although EPA previously banned one consumer use of methylene chloride in 2019, use of the chemical has remained widespread and continued to pose significant and sometimes fatal danger to workers. Most workers who have died from acute exposure to methylene chloride were engaged in bathtub refinishing or other paint-stripping operations. 

Today's ban requires companies to rapidly ramp down manufacturing, processing and distribution of methylene chloride for all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses, including home renovations. Consumer use will be phased out within a year, and most industrial and commercial uses will be prohibited within two years.

Some highly industrialized uses of methylene chloride that are important to national security and the economy will continue. These uses include production of refrigerant chemicals that are important in efforts to phase out climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons, and production of battery separators for electric vehicles. In those cases, EPA's worker protection program establishes new rules and regulations intended to restrict exposure to methylene chloride.