Risk Management for Perchloroethylene (PCE)

Additional Information

Staff Contact for Perchloroethylene:

TSCA Hotline: (202) 554-1404
Email: PCE.TSCA@EPA.gov

Kelly Summers: 202-564-2201

Peter Deck: 202-566-0488

Public dockets for perchloroethylene:

EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0502; EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0732;  EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0720

Below is information on EPA actions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to manage the unreasonable risk from perchloroethylene (PCE). PCE is a solvent that is widely used for consumer uses such as brake cleaners and adhesives, in commercial applications such as dry cleaning, and in many industrial settings. For example, PCE is used as a chemical intermediate in the production of refrigerants and as a processing aid at petroleum refineries. 

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Managing Risks from PCE

In December 2024, EPA issued a final rule regulating PCE. The rule bans many uses of PCE and establishes workplace controls, including a Workplace Chemical Protection Program and prescriptive controls, for those uses not prohibited. 

Final risk management rule for PCE.

EPA has set a 10-year phaseout for the use of PCE in dry cleaning to eliminate the risk to people who work or spend considerable time at dry cleaning facilities. Use of PCE in newly acquired dry-cleaning machines is prohibited after 6 months. Compliance dates for machines that are already owned vary depending on the type of the dry-cleaning machine used, with older types of machines being phased out sooner than newer ones. Many dry cleaners have already begun this transition. This timeline is unchanged from the proposed rule.

EPA’s final risk management rule requires companies to rapidly phase down manufacturing, processing and distribution of PCE for all consumer use and many uses at industrial and commercial workplaces, most of which will be fully phased out in less than three years. For most of the uses of PCE that EPA is prohibiting, EPA’s analysis found that alternative products with similar costs and efficacy to PCE are reasonably available.

Uses that the rule allows to continue under strict but achievable controls following a Workplace Chemical Protection Program generally occur in highly sophisticated workplaces that may be important to national security, aviation and other critical infrastructure, as well as complement the Agency’s efforts to combat the climate crisis. These uses include:

  • Use in the production of other chemicals, including refrigerant chemicals that may complement efforts to phase down climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons under the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
  • Use in petrochemical manufacturing.
  • Use in agricultural chemical manufacturing (originally proposed for prohibition).
  • Use for cold cleaning of tanker vessels (originally proposed for prohibition).
  • Use as maskant for chemical milling.
  • Use as a vapor degreasing solvent.
  • Use in adhesives and sealants.
  • Use in energized electrical cleaning (originally proposed for prohibition).
  • Processing into formulation, mixture or reaction products.
  • Import, recycling, disposal, processing by repackaging and domestic manufacturing of PCE.

Prescriptive workplace controls rather than a Workplace Chemical Protection Program are required for laboratory use of PCE and are also an option for energized electrical cleaning.

In response to public comments on the proposed rule, most workplaces have 30 months instead of 12 months to fully implement the Workplace Chemical Protection Program. EPA also revised several other aspects from the proposal to strengthen and clarify aspects of the Workplace Chemical Protection Program, including monitoring requirements. EPA also ensured the employees’ designated representatives, such as labor union representatives, have access to occupational exposure monitoring and records.

EPA’s final rule addresses the unreasonable risk to human health identified in its December 2020 risk evaluation for PCE, as amended by the December 2022 final revised risk determination for PCE.

In the final revised risk determination, EPA determined that PCE presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health under its conditions of use. The unreasonable risk determination found that 60 of the 61 conditions of use EPA evaluated contributed to the unreasonable risk to health.

Opportunities for Public and Stakeholder Engagement

EPA will host a webinar on Jan. 15, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. EST to provide an overview of the final risk management rule. Register for the upcoming webinar.

Past Meetings, Webinars, and Other Engagement Opportunities

EPA hosted a webinar on July 19, 2023 about the proposed risk management rule. View the materials for the webinar.

EPA completed the Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) panel for the PCE rulemaking on February 1, 2023. Learn more.

EPA held environmental justice consultations regarding the development of risk management actions for PCE on June 16, 2021 and July 6, 2021. These consultation sessions provided an overview of the TSCA risk management requirements, the findings from the final risk evaluations, the tools available to manage the unreasonable risks from PCE, and an opportunity for input on environmental justice concerns. The environmental justice consultation period extended through August 20, 2021. View materials from the consultation sessions.

On January 14, 2021, EPA held a webinar to educate stakeholders on the risk management process under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the findings in the final risk evaluation for PCE. View the webinar materials

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Last updated on January 13, 2025