Carper Statement on EPA’s Methylene Chloride Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), released the following statement reacting to EPA’s final rule banning consumer uses of methylene chloride but allowing its continued use in commercial settings:

“While a ban on consumer uses of paint strippers containing methylene chloride is a step in the right direction, it falls far short of what former Administrator Pruitt announced almost a year ago, and of what my office was assured in writing would be a ban that protected both consumer users and workers from this deadly chemical. Many of the nation’s biggest hardware store chains and paint manufacturers – those which arguably profit the most from selling methylene chloride-based products – have already removed or announced plans to remove this harmful type of paint stripper from their shelves. This decision undermines those retailers’ good faith efforts to protect people from this dangerous product. And now, with each and every use, this chemical will continue to endanger workers’ health. I urge Administrator Wheeler to change course now and extend this ban to commercial usage.”

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