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ARTICLE · 19 DECEMBER 2024

EPA Finalizes Ban On PCE And TCE

Exponent
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On Dec. 9, the Environmental Protection Agency banned many uses of two common solvents, perchloroethylene (PCE or Perc) and trichloroethylene (TCE), as part of the agency's risk evaluation process.

United StatesEnvironment
Renee Kalmes M.S.P.H., CIH
Renee Kalmes M.S.P.H., CIH
Kristin Robrock Ph.D., P.E.
Kristin Robrock Ph.D., P.E.
Pamela Dopart
Pamela Dopart

Popular cleaning chemicals will be banned for consumer use and severely restricted for industrial use

On Dec. 9, the Environmental Protection Agency banned many uses of two common solvents, perchloroethylene (PCE or Perc) and trichloroethylene (TCE), as part of the agency's risk evaluation process for existing chemicals under the bipartisan 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amendments. These two rules are significant, as PCE and TCE have been two of the most commonly used degreasing solvents for a variety of industrial and commercial applications since approximately the 1950s. In addition to degreasing, PCE is also commonly used in dry cleaning, while TCE can be found in consumer and commercial products like cleaning and furniture care products, brake cleaners, sealants, lubricants, adhesives, paints and coatings, and arts and craft spray coatings.

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