Solvent Gets Booted From Consumer Product

Trichloroethylene (TCE) will be phased out of arts and crafts spray fixative under an agreement reached between EPA and PLZ Aeroscience Corp. The company has committed to stop manufacturing, by Sept. 1, the only spray fixative sold in the U.S. that still contains the solvent. The product is used by graphic designers and artists to protect prints and other artwork. Last year, EPA identified risks of cancer, fetal defects, and kidney problems associated with consumer exposure to TCE in spray fixatives and several other products. To ensure that no new TCE-containing products enter the market without being reviewed for safety, EPA plans to require anyone intending to manufacture or import products containing TCE to notify the agency before doing so. EPA will then evaluate the intended use and determine whether the product should be restricted from entering the market.