Is methylene chloride banned? US and Great Britain rules in 2026
Methylene chloride is not banned outright. The 2019 consumer paint-remover ban still applies; check the court docket before changing workplace controls.
Is methylene chloride banned?
Is methylene chloride banned in the US? Not outright. The 2019 consumer paint-remover ban is separate from the broader 2024 rule.
On 15 September 2026, the Fifth Circuit directed vacatur of the 2024 rule, but as of 26 October 2026, that decision should not be read as confirmation that the broader ban has ended. In East Fork Enterprises v. EPA, Nos. 24-60227 and 24-60256, the court ordered: "VACATE the challenged rule and associated risk determination", denied Sierra Club's petition and remanded to EPA. Under FRAP 41(c), "The mandate is effective when issued." EPA's risk-management page, updated 22 October 2026, still describes the 2024 requirements. Check the court docket and current EPA guidance before changing purchasing or workplace controls.
Two US rules, not one
Methylene chloride is also called dichloromethane or DCM, CAS 75-09-2 (2024 rule). The 2019 rule prohibits manufacture, including import, processing and distribution for consumer paint and coating removal after 22 November 2019. It includes retail restrictions. The court opinion expressly says that rule was "not challenged here."
The 2024 rule was published on 8 May 2024 and took effect on 8 July 2024. It is not a complete chemical ban. It prohibits manufacture, processing and distribution for all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses. The rule provides for specified uses to continue under a Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP).
Scope of the EPA methylene chloride ban
The promulgated prohibition schedule set these dates, all before the court decision:
| Prohibition | Date |
|---|---|
| Distribution to retailers | 3 February 2025 |
| Retail distribution, and manufacture or import for prohibited uses | 5 May 2025 |
| Processing for prohibited uses | 1 August 2025 |
| Distribution for prohibited uses | 28 January 2026 |
| Prohibited industrial and commercial use | 28 April 2026 |
The rule delays two prohibitions until 8 May 2029, and those dates are not open-ended permissions: paint removal from wooden furniture, decorative pieces and architectural fixtures of artistic, cultural or historic significance, and specified structural and safety-critical non-structural adhesives and sealants in aircraft, space vehicles and turbines. NASA has a conditional emergency-use exemption until 8 May 2034. Check the exact use and current court status before applying a deadline.
Which workplace uses could continue?
The WCPP categories include manufacture and import, processing as a reactant, incorporation into a formulation, repackaging and recycling, laboratory use, solvent welding, processing aids, plastic and rubber manufacturing, and disposal. Specified aircraft and spacecraft paint removal and reclaimed-process-solvent uses also qualify. These categories do not permit all aerospace or solvent uses.
The program sets a 2 ppm eight-hour TWA, a 16 ppm 15-minute STEL and a 1 ppm action level. It also requires monitoring, regulated areas, an exposure-control plan and controls. These are EPA TSCA requirements, separate from OSHA's permissible exposure limit.
Laboratory compliance dates
A final amendment published on 13 November 2025, effective 15 December 2025, extended non-federal laboratory WCPP deadlines by 18 months:
- Initial exposure monitoring: 9 November 2026.
- Regulated areas and exposure-limit compliance: 8 February 2027.
- Methods of compliance and exposure-control plan: 10 May 2027.
These are the amended rule's dates. Check the current court status before cancelling planned monitoring. The extension applies to non-federal laboratories only.
Dichloromethane hazards
EPA describes DCM as acutely lethal, a neurotoxicant and a carcinogen. High short-term exposure can cause central nervous system depression, coma and death. Chronic liver effects also informed its risk assessment. The court decision does not establish chemical safety.
Is methylene chloride banned in Great Britain?
Great Britain restricts paint strippers containing at least 0.1% DCM by weight under REACH Annex XVII entry 59. It is not a ban on every DCM product. Consumers cannot use these paint strippers. Professionals working outside industrial installations need training, competence and an HSE certificate, subject to the exemption's conditions. Industrial installations have separate ventilation, handling, PPE and training conditions.
Entry 59 distinguishes three dates: first placing on the market from 6 December 2010, subsequent supply from 6 December 2011 and professional use from 6 June 2012. This comparison covers Great Britain, not Northern Ireland.
RegAffairs AI's answer on methylene chloride sets out the 2019 and 2024 EPA rules and the Great Britain restriction, with links to the source texts.