Industry Fears EPA's Proposed TCE Limit Will Slow Development, Spur Suits

Industry officials are concerned that if the Environmental Protection Agency approves a novel proposed regulatory limit to prevent cardiac birth defects and other harms due to acute inhalation of the ubiquitous solvent trichloroethylene (TCE), it could slow brownfields redevelopment, spur personal injury claims and drive up mitigation costs at workplaces near waste sites. OSHA has a permissible exposure limit (PEL) on the solvent of 100 ppm, TWA -- with NIOSH and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists recommending lower limits. TCE also cropped up as a substance of conce