Lethal Substances Banned in U.S.; Silica Exposure is Addressed
Trichloroethylene and Perchloroethylene
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States has banned Cancer-Causing Chemicals Trichloroethylene and Perchloroethylene (also known as Tetrachloroethylene, and abbreviated as PCE and "perc"). Final EPA rules ban all uses of TCE, all consumer uses and many commercial uses of PCE, require worker protections for all remaining uses under the Toxic Substances Control Act. See the full press release here.
TCE is an extremely toxic chemical known to cause liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. TCE also causes damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immune system, reproductive organs, and fetal heart defects. These risks are present even at very small concentrations. Under today’s rule, all uses of TCE will be banned over time (with the vast majority of identified risks eliminated within one year), and safer alternatives are readily available for the majority of uses. According to the Government of Canada website, Trichloroethylene continues to be imported into Canada and used for such purposes as drycleaning and livestock feed.
Perchloroethylene PCE is known to cause liver, kidney, brain and testicular cancer, as well as damage to the kidney, liver and immune system, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. Today’s final rule will better protect people from these risks by banning manufacture, processing and distribution in commerce of PCE for all consumer uses and many commercial uses, while allowing some workplace uses to continue only where robust workplace controls can be implemented. See the CBS news article on the topic.
Workers and employers in the Ontario Construction Industry can receive full access to the Silica Control Tool™, its associated data, and outputs. The Tool’s user interface has undergone a facelift for Ontario and has been fully customized to meet Ontario’s health and safety regulation and standards.
Below are some updates on steps other nations are taking to protect workers in the stonecutting industries.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Certification for Stonecutters
The rise of young workers in the countertop industry suffering from silicosis, a deadly illness caused by inhaling particles of crystalline silica, has prompted new legislation in the United States. The lung-scarring mineral makes up to 94% of some kinds of engineered stone, a popular product for kitchen and bathroom countertops. Workers in their 20s and 30s have ended up reliant on oxygen tanks and in need of lung transplants.
Senate Bill 20 would set up a certification system for counter fabrication shops Businesses would be required to have their workers undergo training on safety practices and show inspectors they are adhering to state standards. Beginning in 2027, stone slab manufacturers will be banned from providing their products to any fabricators that lack such certification. SB 20 also calls for creation of a tracking system for stonecutting shops that shows whether they are certified, as well as an online tool to report suspected violations of safety standards. See more information.
Australia Recognizes Silica Danger
Australia is now considering lowering the silica occupational exposure limit (OEL). Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) has published a paper recommending the urgent need to lower the legislated safety limit as lung disease among workers exposed to silica has risen. Safework Australia has also documented the need for a workplace exposure standard as it applies to silica dust.
Australia’s OEL for silica was 0.1 mg/m3 until 2019, and in 2019 it was lowered to 0.05 mg/m3. Notably, Ontario’s legislated OEL is 0.1 mg/m3. OHCOW supports lowering the OEL to 0.025 mg/m3 to align with the ACGIH TLV.
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