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Deaths from Methylene Chloride Exposure: When Chemicals Used at Home or Work Can Kill



Details

  • Personal Author:
    Rosenman, Kenneth D.
  • Description:
    Methylene chloride (dichloromethane) is used in chemical manufacturing, as a solvent in various products, and as the active ingredient in paint-removing products. Exposure via inhalation or skin contact to as little as a tablespoon of methylene chloride can kill a person (US Environmental Protection Agency). In 2012, the European Union banned consumer paint-stripping products containing methylene chloride. So how are products containing 80% to 90% methylene chloride still allowed to be sold to consumers in the United States and to be used by workers? ... The ongoing saga of deaths from methylene chloride highlights the deficiencies in the current approach to recognizing and regulating chemical-related hazards. The Biden administration has the opportunity to improve the systems. Important steps include (1) implementation of the 2018 NAS recommendations for identifying and following up on work-related injuries and illnesses; (2) improvements in how both the CPSC and the EPA identify health effects from chemicals; (3) implementation by the EPA of the 2016 Amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act to further restrict the use of methylene chloride based on its completed risk evaluation; (4) a change from CPSC's voluntary approach to chemicals in consumer products, for which there are multiple examples of noncompliance, to use of the commission's regulatory authority to eliminate or reduce unacceptable hazards; and (5) a comprehensive approach by OSHA to update workplace regulations, including those for methylene chloride. [Description provided by NIOSH]
  • Subjects:
  • Keywords:
  • ISSN:
    2168-6106
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Funding:
    Cooperative Agreement
  • Genre:
    Journal Article
  • Place as Subject:
  • CIO:
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Topic:
    Workplace Safety & Health
  • Location:
    North America
  • Volume:
    81
  • Issue:
    6
  • NIOSHTIC Number:
    nn:20066638
  • Citation:
    JAMA Intern Med 2021 Jun; 81(6):806-807
  • Contact Point Address:
    Anthony D. Burton, MD, 1610 Granger Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • Email:
    rosenman@msu.edu
  • CAS Registry Number:
    Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
  • Federal Fiscal Year:
    2021
  • Performing Organization:
    Michigan State University
  • Peer Reviewed:
    False
  • Start Date:
    20050701
  • Source Full Name:
    JAMA Internal Medicine
  • End Date:
    20260630
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:6c7df3807f0a4d50b3e7e65f065b301eb7afc44f93808ef4fe14427d3d71ba7279e4360debabcfe7c1a9a2900820965eb2ba6d22c1d38b49f901d98c7b4a929b
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 114.49 KB ]
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