Senators urge EPA to extend methylene chloride protection to workers

Twenty-two US Senate Democrats have written to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and agency toxics head Alexandra Dunn, expressing concern at the decision to exclude commercial uses from the methylene chloride ban the agency announced in March. In the 26 April letter, the senators urge the agency to finalise a more comprehensive ban.The move comes hot on the heels of a lawsuit jointly filed by five NGOs and two mothers whose sons died after using the substance.Methylene chloride is a solvent commonly used in paint strippers. The EPA’s own 2014 assessment of the substance concluded that it can cause harm to the central nervous system, liver and kidney toxicity and cancer. Since a ban was proposed in January 2017, there have been a number of deaths associated with exposure to the substance.The announcement that the final rule will not cover commercial uses resulted in protests from both Democratic lawmakers and NGOs.