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METHYLENE CHLORIDE

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The deadly reality of methylene chloride exposure has finally prompted federal action, but for countless workers and their families, this recognition comes too late. After years of preventable deaths and devastating illnesses caused by this toxic chemical found in paint strippers, the Environmental Protection Agency’s comprehensive ban in 2024 validates what victims have long known: methylene chloride poses an unreasonable risk that companies should never have ignored.

For those who have suffered exposure injuries or lost loved ones to methylene chloride poisoning, legal remedies remain available to hold negligent manufacturers and employers accountable for their failures to protect human life.

The Federal Recognition of Methylene Chloride Dangers

On April 30, 2024, the EPA finalized sweeping restrictions on methylene chloride use, citing the chemical’s connection to liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, blood cancers, and central nervous system cancers. This regulatory action represents a watershed moment in chemical safety, acknowledging decades of scientific evidence linking methylene chloride exposure to fatal health consequences.

The new regulations dramatically reduce workplace exposure limits from the previous OSHA standard of 25 parts per million to just 2 PPM for the 8-hour time-weighted average. This ten-fold reduction demonstrates the severe inadequacy of previous safety standards and raises serious questions about the corporate responsibility of companies that exposed workers to dangerous levels for years.

Workers and consumers have suffered serious injuries or death after using toxic paint strippers containing Methylene Chloride. The toxin is linked to hundreds of ER visits and multiple deaths each year.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 14 workers have died of methylene chloride poisoning since 2000. The CDC urges that work areas must be Workplace Ventilation Risks when levels of methylene chloride exceed exposure limits, and urge workers to use respiratory protective equipment, such as tight-fitting, full-face, supplied-air respirators.

Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is used in various industrial processes, including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint remover manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing, even with severe risks of dangerous inhalation and skin exposure.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) passed stricter regulations regarding occupational use of methylene chloride in 1997, but these laws don’t protect self-employed individuals or private consumers who willingly purchase methylene chloride products.

Lawyers allege that consumers are not given Toxic Exposure Attorney of certain products. OSHA considers methylene chloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Personal Injury Lawyer who has represented individuals nationwide in workplace injury toxic exposure and toxic tort claims.

Common Uses of Methylene Chloride

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced new limitations on uses of methylene chloride, and said the chemical presents an unreasonable risk to consumers and workers.

Officials note that methylene chloride, commonly found in paint strippers, is linked to more than 50 deaths since the 1980s. Chemical safety experts have called for a significant reduction in commercial and consumer use.

The new EPA regulation prohibits the manufacture and use of consumer products containing methylene chloride, but stops short of banning it for commercial use, leaving a wide range of workers still vulnerable to inhalation injuries and associated cancer risks.

The move by the EPA may be a little too late, according to safety advocates, and thousands of workers around the nation have been injured by the chemical and have since filed methylene chloride lawsuits on the basis of companies selling an extremely hazardous chemical when safer alternatives are available

Toxic solvents are used in a number of different industries and applications, including:

  • Adhesives
  • Paint
  • Paint removers
  • Coatings
  • Varnish strippers and coatings
  • Metal cleaning: Medical equipment can be quickly cleaned without causing corrosion problems or damage to heat-sensitive parts.
  • Food & Beverage: used as an extraction solvent in the F&B manufacturing industry. Methylene chloride can be used to remove caffeine from unroasted coffee beans and tea leaves, to process spices, or create hops extract.
  • Transportation: Used to degrease metal parts, airplane components and railroad equipment.
  • Medical Applications: used in laboratories to extract chemicals from plants or foods for steroids, antibiotics and vitamins.
  • Photography
  • Chemical processing
  • Aerosols
  • Bathtub refinishing

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated and identified certain health risks to consumers and workers. Studies show that paint and coating removal pose some of the highest exposures among the various solvent uses. The EPA has moved to limit use in consumer paint stripping products.

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ABOUT THE LYON FIRM

Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.

The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.

NO COST UNLESS WE WIN

The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.

Health Hazards & Long-term Complications

The effects of short-term exposures to workers and consumers can result in serious harm to central nervous systems, and neurotoxicity. Effects of longer periods of chronic exposure for workers includes liver toxicity, liver cancer, and lung cancer. The EPA has proposed to ban the use of methylene chloride in all paint and coating removal products for consumer and most commercial uses.

People using paint and coating solvents should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and any product containing methylene chloride should be used outdoors. If the work must occur indoor, proper ventilation and personal safety equipment is a must.

Symptoms of Methylene Chloride Poisoning

Consumer and workers are generally injured when using methylene chloride products in a poorly-ventilated area or without proper protection. Signs of chemical poisoning include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Difficulty breathing

Preventing Toxic Exposure at the Workplace

Health authorities say dozens of people have died from exposure to solvents and toxins. OSHA issued a warning to workers of the dangers after a recent death from exposure to the chemical. In the death report, a worker was using a paint stripper to remove bathtub coating solution containing 90 percent methylene chloride. The worker was found unconscious and dead of asphyxiation with acute toxicity.

OSHA advises employers to use safer chemical alternatives, or to follow OSHA standards:

  • Perform monitoring and air sampling to determine toxin exposure.
  • Implement a respiratory protection program.
  • Provide adequate ventilation (fans and open windows are NOT adequate).
  • Provide and enforce the use of proper personal protective equipment.
  • Provide hazard training to workers.

Skin contact should be minimized by using gloves made of polyethylene vinyl alcohol and ethylene vinyl alcohol (PVA/EVA), which are resistant to toxic absorption. Other types of gloves are not recommended for use with solvents, including latex, nitrile, neoprene, polyethylene, and butyl rubber gloves.

Industries at Risk and Common Exposure Scenarios

Methylene chloride exposure primarily occurs in industries utilizing paint stripping and degreasing operations. Construction workers, automotive refinishers, furniture restoration specialists, and manufacturing employees face the highest exposure risks during routine job tasks. The chemical’s effectiveness as a solvent made it a staple in countless industrial applications, despite mounting evidence of its lethal potential.

Bathtub refinishing represents one of the most dangerous exposure scenarios, with workers often operating in poorly ventilated bathroom spaces while applying methylene chloride-based strippers. Multiple fatalities have occurred in these confined environments, where toxic vapors concentrate rapidly and overwhelm victims before they can escape.

Aircraft maintenance operations have also documented severe exposure incidents, as workers used methylene chloride products for paint removal in hangars and enclosed spaces. The aviation industry’s reliance on these chemicals has created ongoing exposure risks for maintenance crews nationwide.

Home renovation projects involving paint stripping have resulted in consumer deaths, particularly when individuals used methylene chloride products without adequate ventilation or protective equipment. These tragic incidents underscore the chemical’s inherent danger even in seemingly routine applications.

Many retailers have removed paint stripping products containing methylene chloride. However, since commercial use of the chemical is still not banned, workers are still at risk of developing respiratory illnesses or related cancers.

Wrongful death cases of paint strippers and bathtub refinishers have brought some awareness to the dangers of the chemical, though workplace injury risks make methylene chloride lawsuits a necessary challenge for injured workers. The level of toxic exposure varies, and typically depends upon the duration of exposure and level of ventilation in a work area.

Why Choose The Lyon Firm for Your Methylene Chloride Case

When facing the devastating consequences of methylene chloride exposure, selecting experienced legal representation becomes crucial for achieving justice and securing appropriate compensation. The Lyon Firm brings specialized expertise in toxic chemical exposure cases, with a proven track record of holding manufacturers and employers accountable for preventable chemical injuries.

The Lyon Firm’s approach involves comprehensive investigation of exposure circumstances, working with medical experts and industrial hygienists to establish causation and document the full extent of damages. This thorough preparation is essential for overcoming the complex scientific and legal challenges these cases present.

Joe Lyon serves as a highly-rated toxic tort attorney with extensive experience in chemical exposure litigation, understanding both the medical complexities of toxic exposure cases and the corporate liability strategies necessary for successful outcomes. The firm’s nationwide practice ensures consistent representation regardless of where exposure occurred.

The Lyon Firm operates on a contingency fee basis, making quality legal representation accessible to families regardless of their financial situation, particularly important for those facing mounting medical bills or dealing with wrongful death circumstances.

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A Voice for Those who have suffered 

Why are these cases important?

Methylene chloride exposure lawsuits typically proceed under multiple legal theories designed to address the various forms of corporate negligence that contribute to worker injuries and deaths. Product liability claims target manufacturers who produced and distributed methylene chloride products without adequate warnings about health risks or safer alternative formulations.

Workplace safety violations create additional liability for employers who failed to implement proper ventilation systems, provide appropriate protective equipment, or train workers about methylene chloride dangers. OSHA violations often provide strong evidence of employer negligence in these cases.

Failure to warn claims focus on manufacturers’ and employers’ obligations to communicate known health risks to workers and consumers. Given the decades of scientific evidence regarding methylene chloride’s dangers, these cases often demonstrate that responsible parties had clear knowledge of risks but failed to act appropriately.

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