Court tosses EPA restrictions on highly toxic paint stripper chemical

# Why This Matters The elimination of EPA safeguards on methylene chloride represents a significant setback for occupational and consumer safety, particularly for professional painters, refinishers, and maintenance workers who face the highest exposure risks. Methylene chloride is a volatile organic compound that can cause neurological damage, liver injury, and even sudden death through acute exposure—hazards the EPA had specifically targeted with labeling requirements and use restrictions. Without these guardrails, workers in smaller shops and contractors without robust safety protocols face renewed danger, while consumers using paint strippers and other methylene chloride-containing products lose explicit warnings about proper ventilation and protective equipment. The ruling also signals potential vulnerability for other EPA chemical regulations to legal challenge, potentially emboldening manufacturers to resist future health-based restrictions across multiple industrial sectors.