EPA to Accept Comments during Webinar on Proposed TCE Ban

An upcoming EPA webinar will provide an overview of the agency’s proposed risk management rule that would ban most uses of the solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) within one year and establish a workplace chemical protection program for limited uses to be phased out over a longer period of time. The webinar also presents an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed regulation. EPA especially encourages comments regarding the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirements for workplaces as well as feedback related to the timeframes it has proposed for banning the substance.

TCE is a volatile organic compound used mostly in industrial and commercial applications such as vapor degreasing, the manufacture of certain refrigerants, and the production of battery separators. According to EPA, TCE causes liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive organs are among other adverse health effects related to TCE exposure.

EPA’s webinar will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 14. Individuals who wish to provide comments during the webinar must register by 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 10. Those registering to listen only can register until 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 13, the day before the webinar. Registration is available via Zoom, and participants will receive slides and details for accessing the webinar after they register.

More information about EPA’s proposed TCE ban is available in a news article published by AIHA on Oct. 26.