EPA bans most uses of toxic paint stripper tied to dozens of deaths

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday a ban on most uses of methylene chloride, a toxic solvent used in paint stripping that has been linked to at least 88 accidental deaths since 1980.

The final rule bolsters the Biden administration's broader crackdown on an array of chemicals known to cause serious health effects, despite their helpful applications in everyday life. It will restrict all consumer uses of methylene chloride and most industrial and commercial uses, with some exemptions for the military and makers of climate-friendly coolants and electric-vehicle components.