Letter to the Hon. Andrew Wheeler - Carper, Schumer Demand Overdue EPA Action to Ban Deadly Paint-Stripping Chemical

Letter

Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler:

We write to demand that you expeditiously move to ban methylene chloride, a dangerous chemical found in paint strippers. Methylene chloride has killed dozens of people even when they were wearing protective gear and following recommended safety precautions.

Following the 2016 enactment of reforms to the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA), EPA proposed bans on some uses of three chemicals under the new law, including methylene chloride. In early May 2018, former Administrator Pruitt announced that he would finalize the methylene chloride ban. However, more than seven months later, this dangerous chemical remains on the market.

We are extremely troubled by the manner in which the new TSCA law, which was enacted with a near-unanimous vote and with the support of a wide range of stakeholders, has been implemented by the Trump Administration thus far. Any further delay in finalizing this ban could jeopardize human health and the environment and undermine the efficacy of the bipartisan law passed by the Congress.

We urge you in the strongest possible terms to finally act to ban this chemical before any more lives are lost.

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