The Biden-Harris administration has announced a major milestone in chemical safety by banning two cancer-causing chemicals: Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Perchloroethylene (PCE). The rules, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), restrict the use of TCE entirely, while limiting consumer and commercial uses of PCE.
The ban is aligned with President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, which aims to reduce cancer deaths. The program was launched in 2016 during Vice President Biden’s time and has since become a cornerstone of his presidency.
TCE is known to cause liver, kidney, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as well as damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immune system, reproductive organs, and fetal heart defects. PCE causes multiple types of cancer, including liver, kidney, brain, and testicular cancers, and also damages the kidney, liver, and immune system.
The EPA has pledged to phase out TCE entirely within a year, with most uses banned by 2024. Critical industrial uses will be allowed temporarily under strict safety protocols. The agency is also finalizing a decade-long plan to restrict PCE use in dry cleaning.
“This is an unacceptable practice that can no longer continue,” said Assistant Administrator Michael Freedhoff. “We’re taking action grounded in the best-available science to protect people, including workers and children.”
The ban marks a significant step forward for chemical safety and reflects the administration’s commitment to reducing cancer deaths.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-chemical-ban-cancer-trichlorethylene-perchloroethylene-epa-1998422