U.S. bans most uses of paint-stripping solvent after dozens of deaths

The Environmental Coverage Company is banning maximum makes use of of a poisonous chemical continuously impaired to refinish furnishings and bathtubs that has been connected to dozens of deaths since 1980.

The company introduced a rule Tuesday that can restrict all client makes use of of methylene chloride, in addition to maximum business and business makes use of. Released makes use of come with the ones “highly industrialized and important to national security and the economy,” comparable to climate-friendly coolants and portions for electrical cars, consistent with the EPA.

The EPA is proscribing virtue of methylene chloride kind of six years upcoming a CBS Information investigation induced 3 main outlets — House Bank, Lowe’s and Sherwin-Williams — to conform to speed merchandise with the chemical off their cabinets through the top of 2018. 

Methylene chloride is understood to reason a length of cancers, in addition to neurotoxicity and liver injury, future direct publicity can govern to dying, consistent with the EPA. A minimum of 88 nation have died from acute publicity to methylene chloride since 1980, maximum of them who had been refinishing bathtubs or stripping paint, the company stated. The fatalities integrated educated employees who had been supplied with non-public coverage apparatus.

“Exposure to methylene chloride has devastated families across this country for too long, including some who saw loved ones go to work and never come home,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated in a commentary. “EPA’s final action brings an end to unsafe methylene chloride practices and implements the strongest worker protections possible for the few remaining industrial uses, ensuring no one in this country is put in harm’s way by this dangerous chemical.”

The sweeping restrictions come a week upcoming the EPA proposed the prevent, bringing up the identified and doubtlessly fatal condition dangers of methylene chloride, which may be impaired to build prescribed drugs and refrigerants. It additionally follows the EPA’s travel previous this past to restrict so-called “forever chemicals” in faucet aqua.