EFFECTIVE FederalDec 17, 2024High priority✓ Human reviewed

EPA banned most commercial uses of TCE, including common cleaning and degreasing uses

EPA finalized a TSCA risk-management rule for trichloroethylene (TCE) on December 17, 2024. Automotive repair NAICS codes are among potentially affected sectors, and EPA identifies TCE in automotive care products such as brake cleaners and in cleaning and degreasing. The rule prohibits most industrial and commercial uses on staggered timelines, with narrow longer phaseouts or exemptions for specified uses. Later EPA actions changed certain specialized-use deadlines and postponed conditions on TSCA section 6(g) exemptions during judicial review, but those changes do not create a general repair-shop exemption.

What to check

Shops should check brake cleaners, degreasers and other solvent products for TCE (trichloroethylene). For ordinary automotive cleaning/degreasing, do not assume an aerospace, defense, laboratory or other specialized exemption applies. Confirm products and uses against the current EPA TCE rule before purchase or continued commercial use.

At a glance

LifecycleEffective

PriorityHigh priority

EffectiveDec 17, 2024

VerifiedSep 28, 2026

Official evidence

Source and verification

Official source: U.S. EPA / Federal Register — TCE TSCA final rule ↗
Verified: Sep 28, 2026
Applies to: General mechanical, Collision / body, Tire shop, Transmission, Mobile repair, Dealership fixed ops

Informational only; not legal advice. We summarize the regulatory update and link directly to the official source so you can verify it.

EPA banned most commercial uses of TCE, including common cleaning and degreasing uses

Source and verification

Related regulatory updates