(VitalNews.org) – Taking a long-anticipated stand against toxic dangers lurking in dry cleaning, the Environmental Protection Agency has finally banned TCE and Perc, two notorious cancer-causing solvents.
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This significant move hopes to protect communities living under the shadow of these harmful chemicals.
The EPA announced a groundbreaking ban on trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (Perc), chemicals linked to numerous cancers and health issues.
Commonly used in dry cleaning and various industrial applications, these solvents have been a public health concern for years.
The agency’s regulation represents a crucial victory for communities near dry-cleaning shops, factories, and airports who have lived with the threat of contamination.
TCE has a long list of harmful effects, including liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
It’s also known to damage the nervous and immune systems.
The EPA’s ban applies to all uses of TCE, demonstrating a firm commitment to ending the use of dangerous chemicals.
Similarly, Perc’s adverse health effects include liver, kidney, brain, and testicular cancer.
The ban specifically targets its consumer use, although some industrial applications are still allowed under strict conditions.
This approach ensures that public exposure to the chemical is significantly reduced.
“It’s simply unacceptable to continue to allow cancer-causing chemicals to be used for things like glue, dry cleaning or stain removers when safer alternatives exist,” commented EPA official Michal Freedhoff, cited by The New York Times.
The EPA plans to phase out most TCE uses within a year, with some workplace uses being gradually eliminated to protect employees.
For Perc, a 10-year phaseout plan is in place for its dry-cleaning applications, and newly acquired machines will be prohibited from using the solvent after six months.
These steps anticipate a move towards safer, more environmentally friendly alternatives.
The decision to ban these solvents is based on substantial scientific evidence.
EPA bans cancer-causing chemicals used in dry cleaning. https://t.co/R1daqW9kHA pic.twitter.com/J6QSOBvthT
— North Bay Business (@NBBJ) December 10, 2024
They have been linked to major water contamination issues across the country, notably at Camp Lejeune and in Woburn, Massachusetts.
TCE’s hazardous impact has been well-documented, highlighted in books and films like “A Civil Action.”
“These rules are grounded in the best-available science that demonstrates the harmful impacts of PCE and TCE,” said Freedhoff.
These bans symbolize a pivotal step in reforming policies on toxic chemicals, marking significant updates to the nation’s primary toxics law.
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