Feds Take Aim at Dry-Cleaning Chemicals, Red Dye No. 3

Health concerns have prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to ban certain chemicals used for dry cleaning and for making everyday products like glue.

One of the chemicals being banned is a solvent called trichloroethylene, which is often used to remove grease from metal, but also is used in adhesives, paint remover, and upholstery spot removers. It’s also been found in underground water sources, even though it’s not believed to occur in the environment naturally. It has been linked to cancer of the kidney, liver, cervix, and lymphatic system.

The other chemical is mostly used in the auto industry and by dry cleaners. It’s referred to as perc or PCE, but its formal name is tetrachloroethylene. Perc is also a metal degreaser and can emit toxic fumes. It’s known to damage the liver and kidneys, and it’s also linked to several types of cancer.

The bans of perc and trichloroethylene are the latest in a recent series of federal actions that regulate long-used chemicals that may affect consumers. Just last week, an FDA official said a ban on a red food dye may also be coming. Called red 3, it’s made with petroleum and used in candy, food, and drinks, but has been linked to cancer in animals and hyperactivity in children. Last year, the dye was banned in California. And this year, the state banned six other food dyes from school foods.

The perc regulations will still allow for some use in the aviation and defense industries, but with strict workplace protections required, The New York Times reported.

“It’s simply unacceptable to continue to allow cancer-causing chemicals to be used for things like glue, dry cleaning or stain removers when safer alternatives exist,” Michal Freedhoff, PhD, assistant administrator at the EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, told The Times.

SOURCES:

PubChem: “Trichloroethylene,” “Tetrachloroethylene.”

The New York Times: “E.P.A. Bans Cancer-Causing Chemicals Used in Dry Cleaning.”

NBC News: “FDA may finally ban artificial red dye from beverages, candy and other foods.”

Consumer Reports: “California leads the nation with first ban on six harmful food dyes in school food.”

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health: “Toxicology of food dyes.”

California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: “Report Links Synthetic Food Dyes to Hyperactivity and other Neurobehavioral Effects in Children.”