The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned two solvents used in many everyday products that have been proven to cause multiple types of cancer, as well as other diseases. Trichloroethelyne (TCE) and perchloroethelyne (PCE or Perc) are chemicals used in things like cleaners, spot removers, lubricants and glue.
TCE is known to cause liver and kidney cancers and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, as well as damage to the nervous and immune systems. The EPA is banning it completely.
PCE is used for dry-cleaning and automotive care products. It’ll now be banned for commercial uses but will still be allowed for industrial use — like aviation and defense — as long as strict rules are in place to protect workers. Perc has been found to cause liver, kidney, brain and testicular cancers and to damage the kidneys, liver and immune system.
The EPA said safer alternatives to these solvents are already available for most of their uses anyway.
