[DCHAS-L] New ACS Editors' Choice Publication on DCM in Academic Laboratories

Hello everyone,

I'm pleased to share a new Open Access article that a group of published in ACS Chemical Health & Safety. We're also delighted that the article was selected as an ACS Editors' Choice publication!

Article: A Practical Guide for Academic Labs to Navigate EPA’s 2024 Methylene Chloride (Dichloromethane) Regulation

Authors: Amanda B. Chung; Marta Gmurczyk; Christopher M. Kołodziej; Edmond Lam; Mary Lindstrom; Jessica A. Martin (Corresponding Author); Paulinę N. Serrano

Our goal was to provide a practical resource for academic institutions working to understand regulatory requirements surrounding dichloromethane (DCM) and translate them into effective laboratory safety practices. The article addresses considerations for chemical risk assessment, exposure controls, and implementation in academic research environments.

Of course, the regulatory landscape has changed a bit since we prepared the manuscript. On September 15, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated EPA's 2024 methylene chloride rule and its associated risk determination, remanding the matter to EPA. Consequently, the regulatory requirements discussed in the article should be read in light of this decision.

Nevertheless, the underlying hazards associated with DCM remain unchanged, as does the importance of assessing exposures and implementing appropriate controls.

I'm grateful to my co-authors for their collaboration on this work, and I hope the article proves useful to all of you working to improve chemical safety in academic laboratories.

Article: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00115

Fifth Circuit ruling: https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/24/24-60227-CV0.pdf