The U.S.\u00a0Environmental Protection Agency<\/em>\u00a0(EPA) took a significant step in December 2024 by banning trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical known for its carcinogenic and neurodegenerative effects. However, this\u00a0victory for public health is now under threat as industry groups and some members of Congress push to repeal the ban<\/a>. This reversal could have dire consequences for millions of Americans already suffering from the health impacts of TCE exposure.<\/p>\n Trichloroethylene, or TCE, has a\u00a0long history of use in various industries, including dry cleaning, manufacturing and degreasing machines<\/a>. Independent studies and the EPA have linked TCE exposure to several serious health issues:<\/p>\n Daniel Kinel, a former law office worker in Rochester, New York, was diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s disease at the age of 43. He and three of his colleagues, who all worked in an office next to a dry cleaner that had dumped TCE into the soil, have since developed severe health issues. Kinel\u2019s three colleagues have died, and at least 15 of the firm\u2019s partners developed cancers related to TCE.<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt good that we were finally getting rid of this terrible chemical,\u201d Kinel said. \u201cMy children and grandchildren would be protected.\u201d<\/p>\n The EPA\u2019s ban on TCE was a hard-fought victory, but it is now facing multiple challenges. Since President Donald Trump\u2019s second inauguration in January,\u00a0the ban has been attacked<\/a>\u00a0on several fronts:<\/p>\n These delays mean that people will continue to be exposed to TCE, which is already present in the drinking water of over 17 million Americans, according to data from the Environmental Working Group. Dangerous plumes of TCE have been found in Woburn, Massachusetts; Wichita, Kansas; and Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base in North Carolina, where hundreds of service members have developed Parkinson\u2019s disease and cancer.<\/p>\n Jerry Ensminger, a retired Marine Corps master sergeant whose daughter Janey died from leukemia at age 9, is an outspoken advocate for military families exposed to TCE. \u201cThis\u00a0chemical needs to go<\/a>\u00a0away,\u201d Ensminger said. \u201cIt\u2019s already caused enough harm.\u201d<\/p>\n Concerns about TCE\u2019s toxicity have been raised for nearly a century. In 1987, the EPA deemed TCE a \u201cprobable human carcinogen.\u201d However, the agency\u2019s efforts to regulate the chemical were slow and often met with resistance from industry and some government scientists.<\/p>\n The U.S.\u00a0Department of Defense<\/em>, which is responsible for hundreds of TCE-contaminated sites, has been a significant opponent of stricter regulations. In 2001, a draft\u00a0EPA assessment<\/a>\u00a0found TCE to be highly likely to cause cancer, but this conclusion was attacked by industry and government scientists. Two independent reviews supported the EPA\u2019s findings, but the agency did not begin drafting stricter regulations until the end of President Barack Obama\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n During Trump\u2019s first term, the EPA weakened its report on TCE\u2019s effects on fetal heart abnormalities and halted work on new regulations. Nancy Beck, a former high-level lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council, played a key role in these efforts and has since returned to the EPA as the principal deputy assistant administrator in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same industry lobbyist who was in charge of EPA\u2019s chemical program before is in charge of it again,\u201d said Daniel Rosenberg, director of federal toxics policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. \u201cThat appears to be where this is headed again.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 100 groups representing public health, environment and community interests have sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, urging him to reinstate the TCE ban. The letter emphasizes the health benefits of the ban, estimated at $20 million, and warns that delaying implementation will lead to preventable deaths and increased medical costs.<\/p>\n Environmental and labor groups<\/a>\u00a0have also filed a court brief opposing the EPA\u2019s efforts to delay the implementation of the TCE ban. Dr. Sara Whittingham, a retired United States Air Force flight surgeon diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s disease at 46, is among those pushing for the ban to remain in place.<\/p>\n \u201cWe signed up to go fight for our country,\u201d Whittingham said, \u201cbut now the attitude seems to be, \u2018We don\u2019t care about your health, you\u2019ve already signed on the dotted line.\u2019 It\u2019s a kind of a kick in the face.\u201d<\/p>\n The fight to protect Americans from the dangers of TCE is far from over. As industry groups and some members of Congress push to reverse the EPA\u2019s ban, the health and safety of millions of people remain at risk. The long history of TCE\u2019s harmful effects and the recent efforts to regulate it highlight the critical importance of robust environmental protections. The public and environmental advocates must continue to raise their voices to ensure that TCE is permanently banned and that the health of future generations is safeguarded.<\/p>\n Sources include:<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/naturalblaze.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/United-States-Environmental-Protection-Agency-Sign.jpg\")
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The dangers of TCE<\/h4>\n
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The ban and its challenges<\/h4>\n
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Historical context and industry influence<\/h4>\n
Public and environmental advocacy<\/h4>\n
Conclusion<\/h4>\n