E.P.A. Bans Chemicals Known to Cause Liver and Kidney Cancer and Lymphoma
Will the new rules hold up under the new Administration and White House? That remains to be seen.
Liver cancer. Kidney cancer. Blood cancer. All very scary diseases often caused by exposure to toxic substances used everyday by Americans in dry cleaning, glue, spot removers and lubricants.
And scientists have known for years how dangerous they are.
Finally, the Environmental Protection Agency is doing something about reducing the risks we all face from these dangerous solvents.
On Monday, the E.P.A. banned the use of:
Trichloroethylene — Commonly abbreviated TCE, it has been found in drinking water and in addition to the cancers already mentioned also can cause damage to the nervous and immune systems.
Perchloroethylene — Sometimes call Perc, it is used in dry cleaning and automotive products. While it is less harmful than TCE, it can cause brain and testicular cancer in addition to being harmful to kidneys, livers, and the immune system.
The E.P.A. office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention said of the chemicals:
“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.”
Some industrial use of Perc will continue to be permitted with additional restrictions, the E.P.A. said.
This ruling comes just weeks before the new Trump administration takes office where President-elect Donald Trump has promised to reduce federal regulations, but also has advocated “getting dangerous chemicals out of our environment.”
Which will it be?
The Congressional Review Act allows the soon-to-be Republican controlled Senate to overturn any rules and regulations put into effect near the end of a presidential term. So, advocates for the ban on these substances will be monitoring how the new administration and Congress respond to these regulations.
Here’s a more detailed look at the new rules as published in the Federal Register:
J.C. Bruce is an award-winning journalist and author based in Florida.
Sponsored by TROPIC PRESS, publisher of The Strange Files Series of Mysterious Adventures.
