I-Toxic-Free Futures isebenza ukukhuthaza ukusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ephephile, amakhemikhali kanye nemikhuba yekusasa elinempilo ngocwaningo olusezingeni eliphezulu, ukumela, ukuhlela umphakathi kanye nokubandakanya abathengi.
Ngo-Ephreli 2023, i-Environmental Protection Agency yaphakamisa ukuvimbela ukusetshenziswa okuningi kwe-methylene chloride. I-Toxic-Free Futures yamukele lesi siphakamiso ngenkathi icela i-Environmental Protection Agency ukuthi yenze ngokushesha ukuqedela lo mthetho futhi yandise ukuvikelwa kwawo kubo bonke abasebenzi.
I-Methylene chloride (eyaziwa nangokuthi i-methylene chloride noma i-DCM) iyi-solvent ye-organohalogen esetshenziswa ekususeni upende noma ukumboza kanye neminye imikhiqizo efana nezisusa upende kanye nezisusa amabala. Lapho umhwamuko we-methylene chloride uqongelela, ikhemikhali ingabangela ukuminyana kanye nokuhlaselwa yinhliziyo. Lokhu kuye kwenzeka kubantu abaningi abasebenzise izisusa zopende nokumboza eziqukethe ikhemikhali, okuhlanganisa uKevin Hartley noJoshua Atkins. Akukho mndeni okufanele uphinde ulahlekelwe othandekayo ngenxa yale khemikhali.
Ngo-2017, i-US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yaphakamisa ukuvimbela ukusetshenziswa kwe-methylene chloride kuma-stripers okupenda (ukusetshenziswa kwezindlu kanye nokuhweba). Kamuva ngalowo nyaka, i-methylene chloride yaba ngenye yamakhemikhali okuqala ayishumi “akhona” lapho i-Environmental Protection Agency yaqala khona ukuhlola ubungozi ukuze icabangele konke ukusetshenziswa kwamakhemikhali.
I-Toxic-Free Future iqalise umkhankaso wokukholisa abathengisi abangaphezu kweshumi nambili, okuhlanganisa iLowe's, i-Home Depot kanye ne-Walmart, ukuthi bayeke ngokuzithandela ukuthengisa ama-strip opende aqukethe le khemikhali. Ngemva kokuhlangana nemindeni yabantu abashona ngenxa yokuchayeka kakhulu kule khemikhali, i-Environmental Protection Agency yagcina ivimbele ukusetshenziswa kwayo emikhiqizweni yabathengi ngo-2019, kodwa yavumela ukusetshenziswa kwayo okuqhubekayo ezindaweni zokusebenza lapho ukusetshenziswa kwayo kungase kuhlotshaniswe nokufa okufanayo uma kusetshenziswa ekhaya. . Eqinisweni, phakathi kuka-1985 no-2018, kube nokufa okungu-85 okubikiwe, okungu-75% okwakubangelwa ukuchayeka emsebenzini.

Ngo-2020 nango-2022, i-Environmental Protection Agency yashicilela ukuhlolwa kwengozi okwathola ukuthi iningi lokusetshenziswa kwe-methylene chloride libeka “ingozi engafanele yokulimaza impilo noma imvelo.” Ngo-2023, i-Environmental Protection Agency yaphakamisa ukuvimbela konke ukusetshenziswa kwamakhemikhali ngabathengi kanye nokusetshenziswa okuningi kwezimboni nezentengiselwano, kanye nokukhululwa kwesikhathi esinqunyelwe kokusetshenziswa okubalulekile kanye nokukhululwa okubalulekile kwezinye izinhlaka zikahulumeni ezidingweni zokuvikelwa kwendawo yokusebenza.