EPA Bans Consumer Use of Dangerous Paint Removal Chemical
EPA finalized a rule last week to ban the manufacture or sale of paint strippers containing the toxic chemical methylene chloride to consumers. The Agency also signaled its intention to develop federal regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act to limit the use of methylene chloride paint strippers for commercial applications.
EPA's final rule is scheduled to go into effect in six months. However, in advance of EPA's actions, many national home improvement stores have voluntarily stopped selling paint stripping products containing methylene chloride. EPA's decision to ban the consumer use of these paint strippers was in response to several reported accidental deaths from using paint removal products containing methylene chloride, including instances where contractors were removing paint from bathtubs. Many of these deaths are linked to inadequate ventilation and personal protective equipment.
Remodelers and other NAHB members who use consumer paint stripping products containing methylene chloride should use appropriate personal protective equipment including respirators and protective clothing, gloves and eyewear.
You can refer to OSHA guidelines for proper handling and work place controls for methylene chlorine. Individuals interested in non-methylene chloride paint removal should review information from the Centers for Disease Control and California Department of Public Health.
To develop a proposed rule to restrict the use of methylene chloride for commercial paint and coating removal, EPA is currently accepting public comments on the types of federal training, certification, and work practice requirements that could be imposed on commercial users of methylene chloride-based paint and coating removal products. After receiving comments in about 60 days, EPA will then develop a proposed rule.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Sep 28, 2026
Median Revenue of NAHB Remodelers Grows 24%
According to the NAHB Member Census, 21% of NAHB builder members listed residential remodeling as their primary business. These remodelers tend to be relatively small, with a median of five employees and a median annual revenue of $2.1 million.
Labor
Sep 25, 2026
NAHB Amicus Brief Argues for Fair Due Process for Workers
NAHB filed an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit immigration case Sosnava Rodriguez v. Ortega. The case asks whether a person who entered the United States without official inspection may seek release on bond from a judge while the government considers deportation.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 28, 2026
Market Share of 5,000+ Sq. Ft. Homes Edges Higher in 2025
New homes with 5,000 square feet or more of living space posted an increase in market share last year. In 2025, 27,000 homes of this size were started, accounting for 2.9% of all new homes started. Both the number and market share of homes with 5,000 square feet or more increased from 2024, according to annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC).
Economics
Sep 28, 2026
NAHB Remodelers: What the Data Says
Twenty-one percent of NAHB builder members listed residential remodeling as their primary business, according to the 2025 Member Census. These remodelers tend to be relatively small, with a median of five employees and a median annual revenue of $2.1 million. This means that remodelers are even smaller than NAHB builder members, who had a median of six employees and median annual revenue of $3.7 million, as reported in a recent post.
Economics
Sep 25, 2026
State and Local Government Tax Revenue Grows
Total tax revenue collected by state and local governments was up 5.8% from a year ago in the second quarter, according to the Quarterly Summary of State and Local Government Tax Revenue published by the U.S. Census Bureau. This was the highest year-over-year growth since the third quarter of 2024 (7.2%).