{"abstract":"Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a volatile chemical that has a variety of uses, including paint and coating removal. N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) is a solvent used in a variety of applications, including paint and coating removal. For each of these chemicals, EPA has identified risks of concern associated with their use in paint and coating removal. EPA proposes a determination that these are unreasonable risks. EPA is proposing to prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of methylene chloride for consumer and most types of commercial paint and coating removal under section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is also proposing to prohibit the use of methylene chloride in these commercial uses; to require manufacturers (including importers), processors, and distributors, except for retailers, of methylene chloride for any use to provide downstream notification of these prohibitions throughout the supply chain; and to require recordkeeping. EPA is proposing an initial ten- year time-limited exemption from these proposed regulations on methylene chloride for coating removal uses critical for national security. First, EPA is proposing to prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of NMP for all consumer and commercial paint and coating removal; to prohibit the use of NMP for all commercial paint and coating removal; to require, consistent with methylene chloride restrictions, downstream notification of these prohibitions throughout the supply chain; to require recordkeeping; and to provide a time-limited exemption from these proposed regulations on NMP for coating removal uses critical for national security. For NMP, as an alternate proposal, EPA is proposing that (1) commercial users of NMP for paint and coating removal establish a worker protection program for dermal and respiratory protection and not use paint and coating removal products that contain greater than 35 percent NMP by weight (except for product formulations destined to be used by DoD or its contractors performing work only for DOD projects); and (2) processors of products containing NMP for paint and coating removal reformulate products such that these products do not exceed a maximum of 35 percent NMP by weight, identify gloves that provide effective protection for the formulation, and provide warning and instruction labels on the products.","action":"Proposed rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2017/01/19/2017-01222.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":751,"title":40}],"citation":"82 FR 7464","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2017-04-19","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Comments must be received on or before April 19, 2017.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231","FRL-9958-57"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"EPA. Supplemental Consumer Exposure and Risk Estimation Technical Report for Methylene Chloride in Paint and Coating Removal. 2016","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0254"},{"title":"EPA. Summary of Stakeholder Engagement, Proposed Rule Under TSCA §6 Methylene Chloride and NMP in Paint and Coating Removal. 2016","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0252"},{"title":"EPA. Regulatory Options Analysis Matrix for Methylene Chloride in Paint and Coating Removal 2016","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0251"},{"title":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Fatal Exposure to Methylene Chloride Among Bathtub Refinishers — United States, 2000–2011","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0242"},{"title":"Scientific Frontiers In Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0226"},{"title":"The Kidney Boy: \"The Cost of Dialysis\"","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0218"},{"title":"Kelley, John, and Thomas Considine. Performance Evaluation of Hap-Free Paint Strippers vs. Methylene-Chloride-Based Strippers for Removing Army Chemical Agent Resistant Coatings (CARC). Army Research Laboratory (2006): 1-42.","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0214"},{"title":"Walter, KM; Sackman, VC. Material Substitution of Methylene Chloride (MeCl)/Phenol Paint Stripper. Presented at AIHce 2016","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0210"},{"title":"EPA. Respirator and Glove Specifications for Workers and Consumers Exposed to N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in Paint and Coating Removal and Estimated Fractions of Worker Population Experiencing Acute Exposure above the Benchmark Margin of Exposure. 2016","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0200"},{"title":"Klier, CM; Geller, PA; Ritsher, JB. “Affective disorders in the aftermath of miscarriage: A comprehensive review”","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0189"}],"agency_name":"EPA","documents":[{"comment_count":163700,"comment_start_date":"2017-01-19","updated_at":"2023-02-28T19:25:01.860-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0001","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0001","comment_end_date":"2017-05-20","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":312,"id":"EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231","title":"Methylene Chloride and N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP); Rulemaking under TSCA Section 6(a)"}],"document_number":"2017-01222","effective_on":null,"end_page":7533,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2017/01/19/2017-01222.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/19/2017-01222/methylene-chloride-and-n-methylpyrrolidone-regulation-of-certain-uses-under-tsca-section-6a","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2017-01222?publication_date=2017-01-19","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2017-01-19/2017-01222/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":70,"page_views":{"count":6494,"last_updated":"2026-04-03 20:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2017-01-19/pdf/2017-01222.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2017-01222.pdf?1484747237","publication_date":"2017-01-19","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2017/01/19/2017-01222.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2070-AK07":{"issue":"201810","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2070-AK07/methylene-chloride-rulemaking-under-tsca-section-6-a-","title":"Methylene Chloride; Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a)","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201810&RIN=2070-AK07&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2070-AK07"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"EPA. 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