EPA Proposes Long-Awaited Ban, On Cancer-Causing TCEs.
On October 23, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency proposed a ban on a cancer-causing
chemical found in an array of consumer products. .
On October 23, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency proposed a ban on a cancer-causing
chemical found in an array of consumer products. .
ABC reports that trichloroethylene (TCE) can be found
in everything from automobile brake cleaners and furniture
care products to spray coatings for arts and crafts.
ABC reports that trichloroethylene (TCE) can be found
in everything from automobile brake cleaners and furniture
care products to spray coatings for arts and crafts.
The ban would end nearly forty years of fighting to
ban TCE, which can cause neurological harm even
at lower exposure levels over a long period of time.
At higher levels of exposure, TCE can
cause sudden death or kidney cancer.
According to the EPA, as much as
250 million pounds of TCE are
produced by the U.S. every year.
In Massachusetts, TCE was linked to contaminated water
in the city of Woburn, where two locations were
ultimately deemed to be massive Superfund sites.
For far too long,
TCE has left a toxic legacy
in communities across America, Michal Freedhoff, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, via ABC.
Today, EPA is taking a major step to
protect people from exposure to
this cancer-causing chemical, Michal Freedhoff, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, via ABC.
ABC reports that environmental groups
have praised the proposed TCE ban,
which would go into effect in 2024.
EPA followed the science,
listened to impacted communities,
and proposed one of the strongest
chemical regulations in recent
history. Some chemicals
are simply too harmful
to remain on the market, Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz, Earthjustice Senior Attorney, via ABC
