A year on from the announcement of the dichloromethane ban, US research labs brace for change

A rule that banned most uses of dichloromethane (DCM) in the US one year ago appears poised to continue under President Trump. Chemists at research labs across the country have been planning accordingly.

The ban was finalised by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the previous Biden administration in May 2024. Consumer use of DCM was to be phased out within a year and most industrial and commercial uses would be prohibited within two years. The rule does allow certain applications of the chemical to continue with strict worker safety oversight, including its use as a chemical in the laboratory.