Nationwide ban on TCE on hold following Minnesota's ban on toxic chemical
A nationwide ban on the toxic, cancer-causing chemical trichloroethylene – first banned in Minnesota – is now on hold.
WCCO first reported on the dangers of TCE five years ago after discovering a White Bear Township manufacturing plant emitted unsafe levels of the chemical into the air for years. The now-bankrupt Water Gremlin released elevated and unsafe levels of the toxic chemicals. The community made noise, and lawmakers enacted change.
"It's a chemical that we know is bad. We've known for a long time that it's bad, that has negative health impacts on people when they're exposed to it," former DFL Minnesota State Representative Ami Wazlawik said. "We had a huge groundswell support for the community, and they were really what made us able to get it done, what made us able to get the political support that we need to get this bill passed. And it was a big deal, because no other states had done it yet."
A ban by the Environmental Protection Agency on TCE across the country showed promise, following Minnesota's lead to protect the population. The rule was to go into effect the week before the inauguration in January but got caught up in the courts.
The pause will continue during a regulatory freeze and review by the new administration.
"We're hopeful that the amount of work that's gone into this at the federal level already – the amount of conversation and discussion that's been had – that will prove to be enough to move forward with the ban as it is, instead of either keeping it on an indefinite pause or just not having it happen at all," Wazlawik said.
While the nation waits on the phaseout of the chemical to move forward, Minnesotans are protected. The state pollution control agency told WCCO, "Only three research and development facilities in Minnesota are permitted by the MPCA to use TCE."
Before the state ban, 130 companies and facilities used the chemical.
"And so for us, we're sort of just waiting to see what happens and have our ban in place. We're protecting our citizens from that chemical and just waiting for the federal government to sort of step up and do the same at the federal level," Wazlawik said.
The earliest the EPA ban could begin is June, but it's expected to be delayed. If it goes into effect, the federal ban will supersede the state ban.
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