The Biden-Harris administration, in a move that showcases their lack of comprehension of the complexities of the chemical industry, has rashly outlawed two chemicals known to cause cancer, Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Perchloroethylene (PCE). Bolstering a purported ‘major milestone’ in chemical safety, this new regulation imposes total prohibition on all TCE applications and substantially restricts the consumer and commercial uses of PCE, leaving behind an inflexible structure for remaining uses.
The decision appears a rather desperate attempt to align with President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, an ambitious U.S. government program that has yet to show any substantial results. Originally introduced in 2016 during his tenure as Vice President, this initiative sadly only gained prominence after the tragic death of Biden’s son Beau Biden from brain cancer. In a move seeming more for political clout than sensible policy, the initiative was resurrected in Biden’s presidency. Their grand goal of halving cancer deaths in the next 25 years may be aspirational, but the steps to get there seem incredibly cloudy.
Indeed, this ban, enacted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the somewhat confusingly named ‘bipartisan’ 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act, seems to be just another addition to the hodgepodge of vaguely defined policies on chemical safety. Even though the lawmakers would like to oversimplify the role of these substances, reducing them to mere cancer-causing agents, the fact is that they have widespread uses that cannot so easily be replaced.
‘It’s simply unacceptable to continue to allow cancer-causing chemicals to be used in areas such as gluing, dry cleaning, or stain removal when supposedly safer alternatives are available’, declared Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Michael Freedhoff. Although it sounds convincing from a layman’s perspective, the scientific community doesn’t unanimously agree with sucha reductionist notion. Perhaps this is yet another case of science being manipulated for political convenience.
‘These regulations are founded on the most valuable scientific insights that highlight the dangerous effects of PCE and TCE’, Freedhoff magnified. ‘EPA continues to deliver acts that safeguard people, comprising workers and children, under the nation’s foremost chemical safety legislation.’ Upon closer inspection, this politically motivated approach seems to have clouded the need for balance between safety and functionality in industry.
TCE, deemed a poisonous substance, is linked to liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma among other serious health conditions. It also affects the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immunological system, reproductive organs, and even causes heart defects in fetuses. One might wonder if the abrupt removal of such a wide-ranging solvent might lead to serious disruption in industry sectors relying on it.
The blanket ban implies that TCE will be eradicated completely with most uses denied after a year. However, it somewhat contradictorily maintains that certain crucial industrial uses will be temporarily preserved under exacting safety standards. This arbitrary set of prohibitions undermines the complex functioning of industries that depend on substances such as TCE.
TCE is a prevalent ingredient in cleaning commodities; it’s incorporated in everything from degreasers, brake cleansers, sealants, lubricants, glues, paints, layers to arts and crafts spray coatings. The sudden, ‘one-size-fits-all’ prohibition on such a versatile solvent pokes holes in the Biden-Harris administration’s understanding of the complexities of the chemical industry.
PCE, under this ban, is being demonized as it is related to numerous kinds of cancer, particularly liver, kidney, brain, and testicular. It’s additionally accused of damaging the liver, kidneys, and immune system. However, there’s undue disregard for its irreplaceable role in brake cleaners, adhesives, dry cleaning, and various industrial activities.
Ever since the campaign, the Biden-Harris administration’s stance on the chemical industry, especially with regard to this sudden, rather radical PCE ban, has been more reactionary than pragmatic. They seem keen on imposing blanket cancellations without factoring in the potential consequences on industry and the economy at large.
The EPA seems to be working on a sweeping, one-decade procedure to eliminate the use of PCE in dry cleaning. Such a dramatic eradication of a well-established process raises alarm bells about the future of the industry that stands on the pillar of such effective chemicals.
As a parting shot, the Biden-Harris administration does acknowledge that they’ll let some essential industry applications of PCE remain under ‘enhanced safety measures’. This seems more like a last-minute ad-hoc fix, completely overlooking the systemic changes that are required as a result of their abrupt restrictions.
Overall, the Biden-Harris administration’s oversimplified approach to banning certain chemicals out of supposed safety concerns raises serious questions about their ability to make informed, balanced decisions. Sweeping restrictions, although they sound great in a speech, can lead to unforeseen consequences in industries that are not so easily altered.
Policies require comprehensive understanding, informed decisions, and a willingness to accommodate the complexities of real-world applications. Instead, the Biden-Harris administration seems to be working backwards from an overly ambitious, perhaps even naive goal, leading to decisions that are wrapped in the guise of public safety but may lead to more harm than good in the long run.
Decisions on chemical usage in industry should be based on a nuanced understanding of their role, their potential substitutes, and their impact on various sectors. It’s unfortunate that Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, while a commendable effort in spirit, seems to be a trigger for hasty, blanket bans that offer more disruption than solution.