Register for EPA’s Webinar on the Proposed Rule to Protect the Public from Perchloroethylene
Join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 19, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. EDT for a webinar on the Agency’s proposal to ban all consumer uses and many commercial uses of perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical in commercial and consumer products known to cause serious health risks such as neurotoxicity and cancer.
On June 8, EPA announced its proposed risk management rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is proposing to prohibit the manufacturing, processing, and distribution of PCE for all consumer uses and many industrial and commercial uses, a majority of which would be fully implemented within 24 months after the rule is finalized, except for dry cleaning which would be subject to a 10-year phaseout with compliance dates depending on the type of machine in which PCE is used. For industrial manufacturing, industrial processing, and certain commercial uses important for national security, aviation, and other critical infrastructure that EPA is not proposing to prohibit, EPA is proposing a workplace chemical protection program with strict exposure limits and workplace controls for laboratory use to better protect workers.
The proposed workplace chemical protection program would require employers and others covered by the plan to comply with safety requirements within one year. They would also be required to periodically monitor their workplace to ensure that workers and others on site are not being exposed to levels of PCE that would lead to an unreasonable risk.
EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule for PCE until August 15, 2023, via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0720 at www.regulations.gov.
This webinar will be useful for anyone looking for an overview of the proposed regulatory action or to provide input on the proposed program, including industry groups, nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and other stakeholders. EPA is particularly looking for participation from employers and workers who can give perspective on the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed requirement for worker protections.
Participants can register as listeners or to make prepared remarks. If you would like to provide remarks during the webinar, please register by July 12, 2023, at 5:00 PM EST and select “attend and make a comment” when registering. You can register to listen only up until the day before the webinar (July 18).
Details on how to access the webinar and slides will be sent to participants after registering via Eventbrite.com. Please ensure that emails from Eventbrite.com will not be blocked by your spam filter. EPA will provide copies of the presentation material on our website following the webinar.