EPA Issues Draft Revisions to its Risk Determination for Methylene Chloride (MC) under the Toxic Substance Control Act

On July 5, 2022, EPA published a draft revision to its risk determination for methylene chloride, also referred to as “MC.” Previously, in June 2021, EPA published a risk evaluation for MC, finalizing determinations of unreasonable risk for specific conditions of use based on risks to the environment, workers and occupational non-users.

As a result of recent policy changes, EPA is replacing its condition of use-specific unreasonable risk determinations with a determination of unreasonable risk for MC as a whole chemical substance driven by certain condition of uses. Also, as part of the revision, EPA is removing the assumption of personal protective equipment use by workers which means that 52 of the 53 conditions of use that drive the unreasonable risk determination based only on risks to the environment are now also being proposed to drive unreasonable risk based on health risks to workers.

Comments are due on August 4, 2022.

Read the revised risk determination and submit comments.

Advocacy contact: Send an email to Tabby Zeb at tayyaba.zeb@sba.gov or call 202-798-7405.