Trichloroethylene (TCE)
What is the rule status for Trichloroethylene (TCE)?
For Trichloroethylene (TCE), rule status is Final; final rule date is December 2024; effective date is Most prohibitions were to take effect September 15, 2025; a September 2025 interim final rule extended the compliance date for use of TCE as a processing aid in the manufacture of nuclear fuel to September 15, 2028, and for disposal of TCE to wastewater by processors and certain users to December 18, 2026; prohibited uses is Most uses of TCE, including TCE manufacture and processing for most commercial and all consumer products; exemptions is A limited number of workplace uses phase out over a longer period with stringent worker protections (e.g. cleaning parts for aircraft and medical devices, manufacturing battery separators and refrigerants); essential laboratory use and proper disposal of TCE wastewater may continue for 50 years provided worker protections are in place, recorded from its source on 2026-08-18; source re-checked 2026-09-27.
In December 2024, EPA issued a final rule regulating TCE.
— epa.gov, retrieved 2026-08-18
- Chemical
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Rule status
- Final our reading
- Final rule date
- December 2024 verified
- Effective date
- Most prohibitions were to take effect September 15, 2025; a September 2025 interim final rule extended the compliance date for use of TCE as a processing aid in the manufacture of nuclear fuel to September 15, 2028, and for disposal of TCE to wastewater by processors and certain users to December 18, 2026
- Prohibited uses
- Most uses of TCE, including TCE manufacture and processing for most commercial and all consumer products
- Exemptions
- A limited number of workplace uses phase out over a longer period with stringent worker protections (e.g. cleaning parts for aircraft and medical devices, manufacturing battery separators and refrigerants); essential laboratory use and proper disposal of TCE wastewater may continue for 50 years provided worker protections are in place
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
Source
- epa.govhttps://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-trichloroethylene-tce