IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

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Report Information

On March 31, 2010, the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) external review draft document and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for public review and comment. The draft document and the charge to external peer reviewers were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site.

Norman Birchfield

by phone at: 703-347-0174
by fax at: 703-347-8699
by email at: birchfield.norman@epa.gov

Background

The draft Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to dichloromethane. Dichloromethane, also known as methylene chloride, is a colorless liquid. It is, or has been, used principally in paint strippers and removers, as a propellant in aerosols, in the manufacture of drugs, pharmaceuticals, film coatings, electronics, and polyurethane foam, as a metal cleaning solvent, and in the decaffeination process of coffee and tea.

History/Chronology

1987	The oral RfD for dichloromethane was posted to the IRIS database.
1990	The cancer assessment for dichloromethane was posted to the IRIS database.
Dec 2009	EPA initiated an interagency science consultation on the review of the draft Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane.
Mar 2010	EPA released an external review draft and the interagency review draft with comments.

Next Steps

Following external peer review the assessment will be revised taking into consideration external peer review and public comments, will undergo a final EPA internal review and a review by a science discussion with other federal agencies and White House offices, then will be posted to the IRIS Web site.

Citation

U.S. EPA. IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) (Interagency Science Consultation Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/635/R-10/003C, 2010.

Downloads

Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Interagency Science Consultation Draft) (PDF) (367 pp, 3 MB, about PDF)
Charge to External Peer Reviewers (Interagency Science Consultation Draft) (PDF) (4 pp, 45 KB, about PDF)
OMB Comments of the Review of Dichloromethane (Dec 2009) (PDF) (10 pp, 65 KB, about PDF)
ATSDR/NCEH Comments of the Review of Dichloromethane (Jan 2010) (PDF) (1 pp, 32 KB, about PDF)
DoD Comments of the Review of Dichloromethane (Jan 2010) (PDF) (19 pp, 145 KB, about PDF)
DoD Comments on the External Peer Review Charge (Jan 2010) (PDF) (10 pp, 48 KB, about PDF)