EPA sued over inaction on methylene chloride in paint strippers
Two nonprofit organizations have filed a federal complaint against the EPA for its failure to regulate methylene chloride, a chemical found in paint strippers that has been blamed for 50 deaths. Andrew Wheeler, Acting Administrator of the EPA, is also named in the suit.
The complaint by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement alleges that the EPA has violated its statutory obligations by not enacting a ban on the substance in paint and coating removal products, despite determining that methylene chloride presents “an unreasonable risk of injury to health” more than two years ago. During that time, according to the suit, at least four more people – including at least two workers – have died from exposure to methylene chloride paint strippers.