A Southeast Portland, Oregon, metal-finishing company has agreed to stop using a chemical solvent after a state agency says it exceeded health-risk levels.
Electro-Chem Metal Finishing reached an agreement on trichloroethylene (TCE) with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality after it was determined that TCE exceeded Cleaner Air Oregon health risk levels and posed a potential health risk to the nearby community.
The DEQ sats Electro-Chem Metal Finishing has used the chemical trichloroethylene, or TCE, in a vapor degreasing process to clean metal parts. Air quality modeling by DEQ found that the company’s TCE emissions were many times higher than Oregon’s health-based risk levels. When the agency alerted the company on Thursday, Electro-Chem agreed to stop using the solvent immediately.
“The company’s excess TCE emissions came to DEQ’s attention as it was evaluating air quality permit requirements under the Cleaner Air Oregon program,” DEQ says in a statement. “DEQ staff inspected the site to determine how TCE was being released into the air, and Electro-Chem provided the agency with data about its use of the chemical. Electro-Chem emitted TCE intermittently, meaning it was not released to the air continuously. Records show the company used TCE about once per week.”
The DEQ says this information prompted it to perform an immediate risk assessment, including air quality modeling.
“The results showed TCE emissions far above Cleaner Air Oregon health-based risk levels for short-term exposure,” the agency says. “The emissions exceeded the threshold at which DEQ can require immediate curtailment of operations to protect public health.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule to prohibit most uses of TCE in 2024, but legal challenges and federal administrative actions have delayed its implementation timeline.
Electro-Chem Metal Finishing released a statement to DEQ after the agreement was finalized.
“After our conversation this afternoon regarding your findings on the use of Trichloroethylene (TCE), Electro-Chem has immediately ceased operation of that process in our shop,” the company says. “We will transfer all remaining TCE to waste drums in preparation for transport to the appropriate hazardous waste facility. The TCE waste will be removed within the next 30 days. Any future solvents used in our vapor degreaser will be verified to meet Clean Air Oregon standards.”
TCE does not remain in the body for more than a few hours, so OHA does not recommend medical testing for someone who believes they may have inhaled TCE.
“The most important public health action is to stop the exposure, and DEQ’s agreement with Electro-Chem has accomplished that,” says Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of the Environmental Public Health Section in OHA’s Public Health Division. “For anyone who is concerned about exposure during their pregnancy, currently or in the past year, OHA can provide information resources for you and your health care provider.”
