Methylene chloride has killed more than 50 people across the country but so far E.P.A. and home improvement retailers have failed to act.

This week the news broke that EPA had moved rules to ban certain uses of three dangerous chemicals from the “pending” column into the “long-term action” column in its regulatory agenda.

Almost a year ago, using its authority under the newly reformed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA proposed banning certain uses of three solvent chemicals—methylene chloride (MC or DCM) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) for paint and coating removal and trichloroethylene (TCE) for spot removal in dry cleaning and industrial vapor degreasing. Nearly a year later, the agency still hasn’t finalized these protections.

A weekend home improvement project shouldn’t expose you or your family to dangerous chemicals. But right now you can walk into The Home Depot and other stores and buy paint strippers containing dangerous chemicals.

This year, a great group of public health advocates and chemical industry lobbyists were thanked for spending our Valentine’s Day talking about chemicals with the EPA staff.

Under the newly reformed Toxics Substance Control Act (TSCA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed limits on the use of two common chemicals in paint strippers. Your voice can help make sure the final regulations are strong.