EPA Is Reconsidering Its 2024 Carbon Tetrachloride Rule

A 30-day public comment period is the first step in EPA’s reconsideration of its final risk management rule for the solvent carbon tetrachloride. The rule has been the subject of several legal challenges since it was published in December 2024. EPA says it is particularly interested in feedback regarding the rule’s existing chemical exposure limit of 0.03 ppm as an eight-hour time-weighted average. For example, the agency asks commenters to provide information about the “feasibility of exposure monitoring and whether the use of a different exposure limit would be more appropriate to inform risk management.”

 

Carbon tetrachloride has been banned in consumer products since 1970, and many uses were phased out in the 1990s as required by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. But the chemical is still used in the production of refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and foam-blowing agents. The current version of EPA’s risk management rule allows carbon tetrachloride to continue to be used in vinyl chloride manufacturing, re-packaging as a laboratory chemical, as a processing aid in the manufacture of agricultural products, and other uses, but requires employers to follow a workplace chemical protection plan described in the regulation. High exposure to carbon tetrachloride can damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

 

According to an EPA news release, the review of the carbon tetrachloride rule “is being done in accordance with applicable law, Executive Orders, and Administration policies.” The comment period is open until Nov. 10. For more information, see the Federal Register notice and EPA’s webpage on risk management for carbon tetrachloride.

 

 

A fatal explosion at a biofuels facility in Fremont, Nebraska, on July 29 may have followed “a large release of combustible wood product, most likely wood dust from the process,” according to an investigation update published last month by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The incident killed an operator who worked at Horizon Biofuels and his two daughters, who were 8 and 12 years old. At the time the update was published, CSB had not been able to approach or enter the facility due to combustible material continuing to smolder and the potential for the building to collapse. But the agency says it is continuing to investigate the cause of the initial dispersion of dust and conditions at Horizon Biofuels prior to the incident.

 

The Horizon Biofuels facility produced wood pellets for home heating fuel and wood mulch for animal bedding. According to CSB’s update, the facility was an adapted grain mill and had a dust collection system intended to help control wood dust generated from its production processes.

 

“Air blowers carried the wood dust and routed it through an enclosed system into the dust control equipment,” the agency explains. “The dust control equipment, located on the top floor of the tower, separated the wood dust from the carrier air and discharged the clean air outside the building.”

 

Video of the incident first shows what CSB describes as “a large puff of dust or smoke” coming from windows near the top of the tower, then flames jetting out of the windows, and finally “a large explosion at the top of the tower.”

 

CSB’s investigation of the incident is ongoing. The agency plans to examine the facility’s dust handling and control systems; interview workers, management, first responders, and others about Horizon Biofuels’ operations, maintenance, and safety practices; and investigate whether previous audits or inspections addressed combustible dust hazards within the facility.

 

A new health hazard evaluation report details a NIOSH investigation of health complaints at an office building that was undergoing renovation. Among the affected workers were 36 employees of two state agencies housed in the building.

 

Built in the 1950s, the building was being renovated to accommodate a medical practice. The renovations involved plumbing work as well as the cutting of concrete and its removal with a diesel-powered excavator. One day, following the application of glues containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) on plumbing caps and traps, employees complained about the odor from the glues and experienced health symptoms including ear pain, blurry vision, chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, diarrhea, nausea, sore throat, vertigo, eye irritation, and headache. About one-third of employees in one of the agencies left early. When they returned days later, the employees continued to experience health issues, and some were taken to the hospital. The local fire department used direct-reading instruments to monitor the space for carbon monoxide, combustible gas, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen, but all readings were normal.

 

An epidemiologist invited NIOSH to evaluate the building. When NIOSH personnel visited a few weeks after the first health complaints, they found problems with indoor environmental quality throughout the building. Some offices did not receive air from HVAC units, and some HVAC units did not provide cooling. Gaps between sheetrock and ceilings indicated that the renovated area was not isolated. Investigators noted the presence of mold, water damage, and the use of fragrances in the offices, and an open glue container in the renovation area. They also found that the paint in one of the building rooms contained lead.

 

The agency’s recommendations included isolating the renovation area by closing gaps between walls and ceilings, maintaining the ventilation system according to ASHRAE standards, repairing HVAC units, correcting problems with mold and dampness, and hiring a licensed professional to remediate the lead paint.

 

 

EPA will prioritize review of submissions of new chemicals intended for use in data center projects or the manufacturing of related components, according to an agency news release. The agency cited a recent executive order by President Trump that calls for expedited permitting of projects like AI data centers and their infrastructure such as high voltage transmission lines.

 

“In line with this directive, EPA will prioritize review of certain new chemicals to reduce the regulatory burden to companies looking to invest in them,” the news release states.

 

Manufacturers initiate EPA review of new chemicals by submitting pre-manufacturing notices to the agency. An EPA webpage describes the data needed for submission of PMNs, including the chemical’s identity, structure, and formula; a diagram and description of the process; production volume; byproducts; intended use; and other information.

 

For more information, refer to the EPA news release.

 

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched ‘Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries’, a global safety campaign that gives travelers seven simple rules for carrying mobile phones, laptops, power banks, and other lithium-powered devices safely when they fly. The campaign will run on IATA’s website and social channels and is available as white-label assets for airlines, airports, and other partners across the travel ecosystem.

 

“Lithium-powered devices are safe when handled properly, but they can pose a risk if damaged or packed incorrectly. As more travelers fly with these devices, our Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries campaign will help airlines educate their passengers on the simple rules they must keep in mind when traveling with the electronic devices that have become an essential part of their daily lives,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.

 

A recent IATA passenger survey found that most travelers fly with lithium-powered devices:

 

While 93% of travelers consider themselves knowledgeable on the rules for carrying lithium-powered devices (including 57% rating themselves as very familiar with the rules), critical misconceptions persist:

 

 

The campaign assets highlight seven simple rules every traveler should follow:

 

 

The multilingual campaign will be rolled out through digital assets that airlines and other partners can adapt and share with passengers, ensuring consistent safety messaging across the industry. A short, animated video, designed to make the rules simple, engaging, and easy to remember, can be used by airlines and airports on their digital and social channels.

 

Campaign assets will also be available to media and other entities in the aviation value chain to help educate travelers on flying safely with their lithium-powered devices.

 

 

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