TURI to Support Businesses as US EPA Bans Two Chemicals Tied to Woburn Childhood Cancers

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Katie Daly, Communications Manager, [email protected]

Washington, D.C. – [December 9, 2024] – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today a landmark decision to ban two widely-used chemicals, trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (perc), due to their ability to cause cancer and other adverse health impacts among communities, including children and workers. This decisive action marks a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to reduce harmful chemical exposure and promote safer alternatives in consumer products and industrial processes.

“It’s simply unacceptable to continue to allow cancer-causing chemicals to be used for things like glue, dry cleaning or stain removers when safer alternatives exist,” said the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Michal Freedhoff.

TCE and perc have been commonly used in various applications, including dry cleaning, metal degreasing, and as solvents in numerous household products. However, extensive research has linked these chemicals to serious health issues, including various forms of cancer, neurological damage, and reproductive harm.

“The EPA’s ban marks a significant milestone to protect public health by further enabling the adoption of safer alternatives, to which end TURI is well positioned to assist,” said Baskut Tuncak, Director of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute. “This regulatory change is an opportunity for us to expand our initiatives and continue collaborating with businesses to implement safer practices that benefit both workers and the community,” he added.

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell provides critical support to businesses seeking to transition away from toxic substances, aligning perfectly with the EPA’s recent actions. TURI has championed safer alternatives to toxic chemicals for over three decades. Its history is rooted in the tragedies of the 1960s and 1970s in Woburn, Massachusetts, where TCE contamination of the water supply led to a leukemia cluster among children. These incidents highlighted the health risks of hazardous substances and fueled public outcry, ultimately leading to the adoption of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) in 1989 and the establishment of TURI.

The staff at TURI have made it their mission to eliminate harmful chemicals like TCE by offering companies safer alternatives. The institute launched a “Drive to Zero” campaign which aims to completely phase out the use of TCE and similar harmful solvents by helping companies adopt safer chemicals. Last month TURI, was awarded two pollution prevention grants from U.S. EPA that will enable more businesses to adopt safer alternatives to carcinogens like TCE. One grant would establish a Vacuum Vapor Degreasing Hub at TURI that would identify, optimize, and validate safer alternatives for TCE, while the second grant will deepen TURI’s collaboration with Massachusetts companies to assist them with safer replacements. Companies have already reached out to TURI for assistance with eliminating their use of TCE.

“We look forward to helping companies smoothly transition away from TCE and adopt safer solutions,” said Jason Marshall, Director of TURI’s Lab. “Many companies have already reached out to us for support, and we are committed to providing the research, resources, and expert guidance needed to help eliminate the use of TCE nationwide.”

For more information about TURI’s lab services please visit Turi.org or email [email protected].