EPA Sued For Delayed Ban of Paint Stripping Chemical

Environmental nonprofit groups and the families of two young men who died from exposure to methylene chloride have filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency and its acting administrator, Andrew Wheeler, for not finalizing a proposed ban of the chemical, which is used in paint stripping products.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Vermont, cites the EPA’s “mandatory duty” under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address “serious and imminent threat to human health,” which the plaintiffs claim it has failed to do in regards to methylene chloride.

The EPA had originally proposed banning the methylene chloride two years ago, but the proposal has been shelved since.

After meeting with families affected by deaths caused by the chemical in May 2018, former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt committed to finalizing the ban.

“Yet 10 months after Mr. Pruitt’s explicit vows to finalize the proposed ban, no rule has been issued and methylene chloride paint removers continue to place Americans at risk of lethal health effects,” the lawsuit states.

The EPA advanced the measure to bar the chemical from consumer use to the White House Office of Management and Budget earlier this month.

Three recorded deaths from methylene chloride have occurred since the EPA proposed banning the chemical in January 2017, according to the lawsuit. In October 2018, the plaintiffs announced plans to sue the EPA if it continued to not act on the ban.

The lawsuit requests that the ban of methylene chloride be finalized and that the plaintiffs are awarded reasonable fees, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees.

Plaintiffs include Vermont Public Interest Group, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families and Lauren Atkins and Wendy Hartley.

Numerous retailers in the U.S. have announced they will remove products containing the chemical from shelves, including The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sherwin-Williams.

Page 1 of 796
Next Page
Resource Book
Looking for a specific product or a company? Wood Floor Business has the only comprehensive database of the industry.
Learn More
Resource Book
Podcasts
All Things Wood Floor, created by Wood Floor Business magazine, talks to interesting wood flooring pros to share knowledge, stories and tips on everything to do with wood flooring, from installation, sanding and finishing to business management.
Learn More
Podcasts