Search

EPA Proposes to Ban TCE for Certain Uses Under TSCA

Posted on 12/8/2016 by Roger Marks

US EPA has proposed a rule to “prohibit the manufacture, processing, and distribution in commerce of Trichloroethylene (TCE)” for certain uses. The proposed TCE ban is EPA’s first such action under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as revised by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.

TCE used in dry cleaning applicationThe specific restrictions proposed apply to commercial use of TCE for aerosol degreasing and spot cleaning in dry-cleaning facilities. This would also require manufacturers, processors, and distributors of TCE to notify customers of the prohibitions against certain uses. The proposed rule also includes TSCA recordkeeping requirements.

EPA’s list of facilities that this proposed rule may impact is extensive and includes industries like textile mills, petroleum refineries, petrochemical and organic chemical manufacturing, plastics product manufacturing, rubber and cement manufacturing, electroplating, primary battery manufacturing, and many more.

A pre-publication version of the proposed rule is available here.


What Is TSCA?

Under TSCA, EPA is required to evaluate chemicals for possible risks to human health and the environment. When risks are present, EPA can create regulations that restrict the manufacture, processing, distribution, and use of these chemicals. 

Recently, EPA began work to perform risk evaluations on the first 10 chemicals identified as a priority in the Agency’s TSCA Work Plan.

To get up to speed on changes to TSCA under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which became law this year, read TSCA Reform Passes Senate, Awaits POTUS Signature.  


TSCA Regulations Online Course

Be confident you know how to keep your site in compliance with the many TSCA management, recordkeeping, and reporting programs that affect you. Any business that manufactures, processes, distributes, or uses regulated chemical substances must comply with TSCA. Interactive and available 24/7, the TSCA Regulations Online Course is designed to help you maintain compliance with EPA’s primary chemical law.

Get up to speed with new and changing TSCA rules and get help meeting your EPA reporting requirements—from “Form U” Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) and to SNURs, PMNs, PAIR reporting, import and export notifications and certifications, and much more. 

Tags: chemicals, EPA, new rules, TSCA

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

Attending Lion Technology classes should be mandatory for every facility that ships or stores hazmat.

Genell Drake

Outbound Lead

Having the tutorial buttons for additional information was extremely beneficial.

Sharon Ziemek

EHS Manager

I think LION does an excellent job of any training they do. Materials provided are very useful to my day-to-day work activities.

Pamela Embody

EHS Specialist

Given the choice, I would do all coursework this way. In-person courses go very fast without the opportunity to pause or repeat anything.

Ellen Pelton

Chemical Laboratory Manager

Lion Technology workshops are amazing!! You always learn so much, and the instructors are fantastic.

Dorothy Rurak

Environmental Specialist

This training broke down the regulations in an easy-to-understand manner and made them less overwhelming. I now feel I have the knowledge to make more informed decisions.

Amanda Oswald

Shipping Professional

The instructor was very engaging and helped less experienced people understand the concepts.

Steve Gall

Safety Leader

Our instructor was very dynamic and kept everyone's interest. Hazmat shipping can be a dry, complicated topic but I was engaged the entire time.

Kimberly Arnao

Senior Director of EH&S

Convenient; I can train when I want, where I want.

Barry Cook

Hazmat Shipping Professional

The online course was well thought out and organized, with good interaction between the student and the course.

Larry Ybarra

Material Release Agent

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Just starting out with shipping lithium batteries? The four fundamental concepts in this guide are the place to start.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.