Prohibits certain uses of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene.
Summary
Assembly Bill 3756 would direct the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules, within two years of the bill’s effective date, that prohibit all uses in commerce of trichloroethylene (TCE) and prohibit all consumer and commercial uses of perchloroethylene (PCE). For facilities that still use PCE, the bill would also require owners or operators to take appropriate measures to protect workers from exposure. The bill defines PCE and TCE by their Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers and ties the state rules to the federal EPA rules published in December 2024.
The bill is framed as a state-level implementation of federal chemical restrictions, requiring DEP regulations to be substantively identical to the EPA’s rules, including any delayed effective dates and exemptions. It also provides that any uses of PCE or TCE preempted by the federal Toxic Substances Control Act would be exempt from the state provisions. The act would take effect immediately, but the regulatory prohibitions would be phased in through DEP rulemaking.
Impact
This bill would add a new environmental and public health regulatory requirement to Title 13 of the Revised Statutes by restricting the sale and use of two hazardous solvents, PCE and TCE, in New Jersey. It would affect manufacturers, distributors, dry cleaners, industrial users, and other businesses that rely on these chemicals, while also imposing worker-protection obligations on facilities that continue to use PCE during any permitted period. The DEP would be responsible for adopting and enforcing the implementing regulations, largely mirroring federal EPA restrictions, subject to federal preemption under TSCA.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or voting sentiment for this bill. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be motivated by environmental and health concerns, particularly the EPA’s findings about cancer and other serious health risks associated with PCE and TCE. The overall tone of the legislation is precautionary and regulatory, emphasizing public health protection and alignment with federal chemical safety standards.
Contention
The main likely points of contention are the breadth of the bans and their economic impact on affected industries, especially dry cleaning, industrial cleaning, degreasing, automotive care, adhesives, coatings, and other commercial users of PCE and TCE. Businesses that currently rely on these chemicals may object to compliance costs, product substitution challenges, and operational disruption, while environmental and public health advocates are likely to support the restrictions because of the chemicals’ toxicity and cancer risks. Another potential issue is the bill’s reliance on federal EPA rules and the carve-out for federally preempted uses, which may raise questions about implementation and the scope of state authority.