I-US Environmental Protection Agency iphakamisa ukuthi kuvinjelwe ukusetshenziswa okuningi kwe-methylene chloride, ikhemikhali ethi ingabangela izingozi empilweni ngisho nokufa, ukuze kuvikelwe impilo yomphakathi.
Lesi siphakamiso sizovimbela ukusetshenziswa kwe-methylene chloride kuzo zonke izimo zabathengi kanye nokusetshenziswa okuningi kwezimboni nezentengiselwano. I-methylene chloride isetshenziswa kuma-degreaser e-aerosol, kuma-brush cleaner opende nokumboza, kuma-glue glue agent kanye nama-sealant, kanye nasekukhiqizweni kwamanye amakhemikhali ezindaweni zezimboni.
Ukuvinjelwa kwaphakanyiswa njengengxenye yoMthetho Wokulawula Izinto Ezinobuthi, ohlinzeka i-Environmental Protection Agency igunya lokuphoqelela izidingo zokubika, ukugcinwa kwamarekhodi kanye nokuhlolwa. Ngo-2019, i-Environmental Protection Agency yavimbela umthengi oyedwa ekusebenziseni i-methylene chloride ngokuyisusa kuma-paint strippers.
Okungenani abantu abangu-85 bashonile ngenxa yokuchayeka kule khemikhali kusukela ngo-1980, ngokusho kwe-US Environmental Protection Agency. I-EPA ithe iningi lamacala lihilela abasebenzi abasezinkontilekeni zokuthuthukisa amakhaya. Le nhlangano ithe kunezimo "ezintsha" zabantu ababhekene nemiphumela emibi yezempilo ehlala isikhathi eside ngemva kokuchayeka ku-methylene chloride. I-Environmental Protection Agency iphinde yathola imiphumela emibi yezempilo evela ekuphefumuleni nasekuthinteni isikhumba, okuhlanganisa ubuthi bemizwa, imiphumela yesibindi, kanye nomdlavuza.
I-ejensi inqume ukuthi i-methylene chloride “ibeka ingozi engafanele yokulimaza impilo ngaphansi kwezimo zokusetshenziswa” ngenxa yezingozi kubasebenzi abachayeke ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile kumakhemikhali, abathengi abasebenzisa amakhemikhali, kanye nabantu abachayeke kumakhemikhali.
“Isayensi nge-methylene chloride icacile, futhi ukuchayeka ku-methylene chloride kungabangela imiphumela emibi empilweni ngisho nokufa,” kusho uMqondisi we-EPA uMichael S. Regan esitatimendeni sabezindaba. Lokhu kuyiqiniso emindenini eminingi kakhulu elahlekelwe abathandekayo bayo ngenxa yobuthi obuyingozi,” kusho lesi siphakamiso. “Yingakho i-Environmental Protection Agency ithatha isinyathelo ngokuncoma ukuvinjelwa kokusetshenziswa okuningi kwaleli khemikhali kanye nokusebenzisa izilawuli eziqinile ezindaweni zokusebenza ukuze kuvikelwe impilo yabasebenzi futhi kuncishiswe ukuchayeka kuzo zonke ezinye izindawo.”
Inhloso yokuvinjelwa okuhlongozwayo ukuvikela abantu ezingozini nokunciphisa ukuvezwa ngokuvumela ukusetshenziswa kwe-methylene chloride kuphela ngaphansi kwezimo ezilawulwa ngokuqinile ezindaweni zokusebenza, kusho i-Environmental Protection Agency. Ukukhiqizwa, ukucutshungulwa kanye nokusatshalaliswa kwe-methylene chloride kuzophela ezinyangeni eziyi-15 ezizayo. Ezimweni lapho isiphakamiso sivimbela ikhemikhali, ukuhlaziywa kwe-EPA kuthole ukuthi “imikhiqizo ehlukile enezindleko ezifanayo kanye nokusebenza kahle… ngokuvamile iyatholakala.”
“Lokhu kuvinjelwa okuhlongozwayo okungokomlando kubonisa intuthuko ebalulekile esiyenzile ekusebenziseni izivikelo ezintsha zokuphepha kwamakhemikhali kanye nokuthatha izinyathelo ezidlulelwe yisikhathi zokuvikela impilo yomphakathi kangcono,” kusho uRegan.
UKerry Breen ungumhleli wezindaba kanye nentatheli ye-CBS News. Ukubika kwakhe kugxile ezenzakalweni zamanje, izindaba ezisanda kuphuma kanye nokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa.