Methylene Chloride Banned for Consumer Use, Industry Use Continues
Update: As of November 23, 2019 it is now against the law for any person or retailer to sell or distribute paint removal products containing methylene c...
Update: As of November 23, 2019 it is now against the law for any person or retailer to sell or distribute paint removal products containing methylene chloride for consumer use, including online sales. EPA has issued a final rule banning the use of methylene chloride for consumer use. This rule applies to the manufacture, import, process, and distribution of methylene chloride for consumer use. Industrial use, however, is still allowed.
⚡ TL;DR: EPA banned methylene chloride (dichloromethane) for consumer paint strippers due to its neurotoxic risk—fumes can cause death in poorly ventilated spaces. Industrial use continues but under OSHA’s strict Methylene Chloride Standard. If your facility uses this chemical, you need medical surveillance, respiratory protection, and training protocols in place now.
Methylene chloride, also known as dichloromethane, is a key ingredient used in paint strippers and is also found in some acrylic cements.
⚠️ The Pain: EPA evaluated high-hazard chemicals through the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and classified methylene chloride as an unreasonable health risk. The chemical’s fumes are heavier than air, accumulate in unventilated spaces for hours, and can rapidly cause dizziness, loss of consciousness, and death through nervous system depression. One exposure incident can be fatal. Industrial facilities have no excuse for improper storage or inadequate ventilation controls.
Retailers have 180 days after the rule finalization to be in compliance. However, many retailers made pledges to stop selling it long before the rule was finalized. Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone, PPG and Sherwin Williams agreed to stop selling methylene chloride-containing products by the end of 2018. Walmart agreed to stop selling products online and in stores by the end of February 2019 and Amazon targeted March 2019. Ace Hardware is targeting the end of July 2019.
Industrial Usage Continues
In industry, methylene chloride is used not only as a paint stripper, but for general cleaning, automotive care, bath tub refinishing, metal cleaning and degreasing, lubrication, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and lithography.
EPA is still allowing usage in industry at this time, but is soliciting public comment for future rulemaking which may include training requirements, limited access rules, and/or certification.
On the employee protection side, methylene chloride usage in industry is subject to OSHA’s Methylene Chloride Standard. This standard outlines specific requirements for usage, medical surveillance, respiratory protection, training, hygiene facilities, protective clothing, recordkeeping, and control measures.
Does your facility use methylene chloride or other high-hazard solvents? If you haven’t conducted a full employee exposure assessment, you’re operating blind on your regulatory obligations. A baseline industrial hygiene survey identifies exposure pathways, confirms control adequacy, and establishes your medical surveillance baseline—all required under OSHA regulations. Most facilities we audit find gaps in respiratory protection programs or inadequate ventilation controls that create serious legal exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
💰 Industrial hygiene surveys and solvent exposure assessments typically cost $1,500–$4,000, depending on facility size, number of work areas, and sampling scope.
Q: Why did the EPA ban methylene chloride for consumer use?
The EPA evaluated methylene chloride (dichloromethane) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and found it poses an unreasonable risk to human health. Methylene chloride fumes are heavier than air and can accumulate in unventilated spaces, rapidly causing dizziness, loss of consciousness, and death through nervous system depression. The ban applies to consumer paint strippers and related products as of November 23, 2019.
Q: Is methylene chloride still allowed for industrial use?
Yes, the EPA currently permits methylene chloride use in industry for paint stripping, cleaning, degreasing, automotive care, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and lithography. However, the EPA is soliciting public comment for future rulemaking that may introduce training requirements, limited access restrictions, and certification requirements for industrial methylene chloride use.
Q: What OSHA requirements apply to methylene chloride use in industry?
OSHA’s Methylene Chloride Standard establishes specific requirements for industrial use including medical surveillance programs, respiratory protection standards, employee training, hygiene facilities, protective clothing, hazard controls, and recordkeeping. Facilities using methylene chloride must comply with all OSHA requirements to protect worker health from chemical exposure.
Q: What industrial applications use methylene chloride?
Industrial methylene chloride applications include paint stripping, general cleaning and degreasing, automotive restoration, metal cleaning, lubrication applications, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and lithography processes. Facilities using these products must evaluate employee exposure risks and implement appropriate controls under OSHA’s Methylene Chloride Standard.
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