The United States bans two carcinogenic substances found in our homes

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced this Monday the ban of two carcinogenic chemicals found in in various industrial and domestic productss, after verifying that they represent serious health risks.

In a statement, the EPA announced a complete ban on trichlorethylene (TCE), a compound present in degreasing agents, furniture care and auto repair products. The substance is associated with cancers of the liver, kidney and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a cancer of the lymphatic tissue, in addition to causing damage to the central nervous system, reproductive organs and even fetal heart defects.

Likewise, the agency has vetoed all uses of perchlor (PCE), an industrial solvent used in the repair of vehicles and dry cleaning. PCE is linked to cancers of the liver, kidney, brain and testicles, as well as damage to the immune system and neurotoxicity.

The move shows US President Joe Biden’s efforts to enact protections against harmful chemicals before leaving office on January 20, 2025 and passing the baton to Donald Trump. In a statement, Michal Freedhoff, deputy director of Chemical Safety at the EPA, considered it “simply unacceptable” that the use of carcinogenic chemicals has continued to be allowed. when there are safer alternatives.

The TCE ban has special significance for Freedhoff, who began his work on this substance decades ago with Senator Edward J. Markey, then a congressman from 1976 to 2013. While working for Markey, Freedhoff collaborated closely with Anne Anderson, who warned about the dangers of trichlorethylene in drinking water after the death of his son Jimmy from leukemiaa case that was decisive in making the risks of these substances visible in the 80s.