The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a sweeping ban on all consumer uses and many commercial uses of perchloroethylene (PCE), a toxic chemical solvent increasingly linked to serious health risks, including neurotoxicity and cancer. This action is especially significant for the Parkinson’s community, as growing research suggests that long-term exposure to industrial solvents like PCE may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
PCE is commonly found in products such as dry-cleaning fluids, degreasers, and adhesives. Under the proposed rule, most of these uses would be phased out, while a few essential industrial applications would be allowed to continue under strict safety controls to protect workers and nearby communities.
This move follows recent scientific findings, including a major study linking another solvent, trichloroethylene (TCE), to a 70% increased risk of Parkinson’s in exposed veterans. Both TCE and PCE are part of a class of chemicals that can damage the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons — a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The EPA determined that PCE poses an “unreasonable risk” to human health through inhalation and skin contact, especially for workers and nearby communities. The proposed ban is part of a broader effort to reduce toxic chemical exposure and improve public health protections
For advocates, patients, and families affected by Parkinson’s, the EPA’s proposal represents a critical step toward reducing environmental risk factors and protecting future generations from preventable exposures.