U.S. EPA’s holds webinar on methylene chloride risk evaluation and management

The webinar was hosted by U.S. EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics on the methylene chloride risk evaluation and risk management under TSCA on Wednesday September 16. Presentations and agendas are available here: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/materials-september-2020-methylene-chloride-risk. EPA Identified six conditions of use that did not present an unreasonable risk. These were manufacturing, processing as a reactant, processing/recycling, distribution in commerce, industrial and commercial use as a laboratory chemical, and disposal.

In June 2020, EPA released the final risk evaluation for methylene chloride under amended TSCA. The final risk evaluation for methylene chloride identifies unreasonable risks to workers, occupational non-users, consumers, and bystanders from methylene chloride exposure under 47 out of 53 conditions of use. EPA did not find any unreasonable risks to the environment from use of this chemical.