EPA proposes ban on all consumer, most commercial uses of methylene chloride
CBSN
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a ban on most uses of methylene chloride, a chemical they say is known to cause health risks and even death, to protect public health.
The proposal would ban methylene chloride's use in all consumer situations, and in most industrial and commercial uses. Methylene chloride is used in aerosol degreasers, brush cleaners for paints and coatings, commercial adhesives and sealants, and to make other chemicals in industrial settings.
The ban is proposed as part of the Toxic Substances Control Act, which gives the EPA the ability to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, as well as other restrictions. The EPA banned one consumer use of methylene chloride in 2019, taking it out of paint removers.
