EPA bans two cancer-causing chemicals

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned two cancer-causing chemicals— trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PERC or PCE)—long used in consumer products and industrial processes. The move is part of a larger effort to reduce Americans’ exposure to toxic chemicals and pollutants that cause cancer and other serious health problems.

The ban falls under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976, which gives the EPA authority to regulate the use, sale, and disposal of chemicals to protect public health. The two chemicals included in this most recent action have been in use for nearly 100 years.

Health risks of the banned chemicals

TCE: First introduced back in the 1920s, TCE is a human-made volatile, colorless liquid used to make refrigerants and degreasing agents. It is found in common consumer and manufacturing products, including cleaning wipes, aerosol cleaning products, tool cleaners, paint removers, spray adhesives, carpet cleaners, and spot removers. It is also used in auto repair products, such as brake cleaners, and tire repair sealants.

The EPA ban prohibits all uses of TCE, which even at small doses increases the risk for several serious health issues, including:

• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Damage to the central nervous system, immune system, and reproductive organs
• Harm to a developing fetus

PCE or PERC: Use of PCE dates back to the 1930s. It another colorless liquid solvent long used in dry cleaning and auto repair as well as paint and coating removal, pesticides and fertilizer, wood furniture manufacturing and lubricants as well as adhesive and sealant processing. Consumer products that may contain PCE include adhesives for arts and crafts and stainless steel polish.

The EPA ban blocks all consumer use and most commercial use of this chemical, which has also been linked to serious health issues, including:

• Head and neck cancers
• Bladder cancer
• Neurological damage, which includes changes in mood, memory, attention, reaction time, or vision
• Damage to the kidneys, liver, and immune system

People directly exposed to these chemicals are at risk as well as those who live nearly facilities where they are made.

When does the ban take effect

The EPA’s rule will remove this chemical from consumer products and most commercial uses after one year. Some limited “critical” commercial uses of TCE—including battery separators used to make electric vehicle batteries and the manufacture of certain refrigerants as well as certain transportation, security and defense systems—will be phased out over a longer period of time. But during this phase-out period, strict worker protections will be in place.

Safer alternatives are readily available for the majority of PCE uses. The EPA’s rule requires companies to rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing, and distribution of PCE for all consumer use and many uses at industrial and commercial workplaces. Most of these uses will be fully phased out within three years.

Under the ban, limited commercial uses of PCE will be allowed, such as petrochemical manufacturing some aircraft and aerospace applications. Use of the chemical in dry cleaning will be ramped down over a longer 10-year period, allowing small businesses time to transition to other processes.

How to protect your health

The effects of exposure to harmful chemicals, including TCE and PCE, usually depends on when, how much, how long, and how you are exposed. As the bans take effect, there are ways to minimize your exposure and avoid related health risks.

Products containing TCE include:

• Some paint removers
• Tool cleaning solutions
• Certain carpet cleaners
• Some spray adhesives

Products containing PCE include:

• Some stain removers
• Some suede protectors
• Certain craft glues and industrial adhesives
• Brake, wood, and rust cleaners

Check the ingredient list of products containing TCE or PCE that may be in your home. Safer alternatives to PCE and TCE are available. When looking for safer cleaning or other products, you can also search the EPA’s Safer Choice Standard database.

When choosing products, be sure to check their labels to ensure they are free of TCE and PCE.

Names for TCE include: trichloroethylene. It may also appear as trichloran, triklone, trilen, or under various trade names, such as Trielene or Westrosol, depending on the product and manufacturer.

Names for PCE include: PERC, tetrachloroethylene, and perchloroethylene.

The EPA's Chemical and Products Database (CPDat) also provides information on the chemical ingredients of thousands of consumer products. You can search this database for specific chemicals.

If you find products affected by the EPA ban in your home, do not throw them in the trash. Instead, contact the nearest household hazardous waste facility for instructions on how to get rid of them safely. These facilities collect, store, and dispose of household hazardous waste.

You can also contact your local environmental, health, or solid waste agency to learn about household hazardous waste collection programs. Even empty containers can pose health risks, so be sure to keep all potentially harmful chemicals and their containers separate from other household trash.

As businesses implement the changes required under the EPA ban, you can opt for a “green” dry cleaner. These businesses already use cleaning products and methods that are considered less harmful to human health and the environment. They avoid use of PCE in favor or other less harmful cleaning agents, such as liquid carbon dioxide, silicone-based solutions, or hydrocarbons. If you are unsure, you can ask the dry cleaner what type of cleaning solvents or chemicals they use.