California Designates Trichloroethylene as Known to Cause Reproductive Harm

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has designated trichloroethylene (TCE) as a chemical known to cause reproductive toxicity, effective January 31, 2014.  Beginning January 31, 2015, companies selling products that contain TCE will have to provide a health hazard warning stating that their products contain a chemical known to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

This designation is based on formal identification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that TCE causes reproductive toxicity.

TCE is mainly used as an industrial degreaser of machine parts, but is also found in consumer products such as paint removers/strippers, adhesives, spot removers, and rug cleaners.  It is also used as an extraction solvent for greases, oils, fats, waxes, and tars, and as a refrigerant.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.