"The EPA is signaling that commercial furniture refinishers may continue using a paint-stripping chemical called methylene chloride, reversing previous plans to significantly restrict both consumer and commercial uses.

The solvent is one of the top 10 chemicals the agency is re-examining under a new chemicals law and major companies like Lowe’s, Home Depot Inc., the Sherwin-Williams Co., and Walmart Inc. have pledged to remove products containing the chemical by the end of the year.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s fall regulatory agenda said the scope of the final methylene chloride regulation (RIN:2070-AK07) it’s crafting may be narrower than previously proposed, by allowing commercial furniture workers to continue using the chemical under different restrictions than do-it-yourself users. "

Steven Gibb reports for Bloomberg Environment October 17, 2018. [2]