2 weeks ago
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan speaks during a House proceeding astatine nan U.S. Capitol connected May 10, 2023. On Tuesday, he announced a caller norm banning methylene chloride. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
April 30 (UPI) -- The Environmental Protection Agency connected Tuesday issued a last norm connected nan usage of nan toxic chemic methylene chloride, which is utilized successful overgarment products and for coating brushwood cleaners, aerosol degreasing products and different applications.
Methylene chloride, which besides has been utilized successful adhesives and sealants and successful business settings for making different chemicals, has been linked to liver, lung, breast, encephalon and humor cancers. It besides attacks nan cardinal tense strategy and its liver harm has led to deaths.
"Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families crossed this state for excessively long, including immoderate who saw loved ones spell to activity and ne'er travel home," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said successful a statement.
"EPA's last action brings an extremity to unsafe methylene chloride practices and implements nan strongest worker protections imaginable for nan fewer remaining business uses, ensuring nary 1 successful this state is put successful harm's measurement by this vulnerable chemical."
The EPA said that, since 1980, astatine slightest 88 group person died from acute vulnerability to methylene chloride. Most of nan affected workers engaged successful bathtub finishing aliases overgarment stripping. The agency said that, successful immoderate cases, nan workers were afloat trained pinch nan due individual aesculapian equipment.
"My son, Kevin, died successful 2017 from methylene chloride vulnerability from refinishing a bathtub astatine work," said Wendy Hartley successful a connection released by nan EPA. "I americium pleased that nan EPA is yet taking action and banning methylene chloride arsenic a commercialized bathtub stripper. This is simply a immense measurement that will protect susceptible workers."
Home Depot stopped selling overgarment strippers utilizing methylene chloride successful 2018, pursuing successful nan footsteps of galore smaller location betterment outlets aft reports dispersed astir nan vulnerable quality of nan chemic and different toxins successful related products.
