U.S. EPA Postpones Effectiveness of Certain Provisions in TCE Final Rule Under TSCA

"On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice announcing the postponement of the effectiveness of certain provisions of the final rule titled “Trichloroethylene (TCE); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)” for a period of 90 days, extending the effective date to June 20, 2025. Specifically, this postponement applies to the conditions imposed on the uses with TSCA exemptions. The postponement specifically applies to the workplace conditions imposed on uses granted exemptions under TSCA Section 6(g), such as: -The use of TCE as a processing aid in lead-acid battery separator manufacturing -The use of TCE in manufacturing specialty polymeric microporous sheet materials These uses were granted exemptions in the original final rule (published December 17, 2024; 89 FR 102568) because a full ban would significantly disrupt national security, critical infrastructure, or the economy, and no safer technically and economically feasible alternatives were identified."