Century-old cleaning ingredient linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease

Key Points:

• Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical formerly used in household products and industrial applications, has been linked to a 500% increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to research from the University of Rochester Medical Center.
• Parkinson's disease causes motor symptoms such as tremors and rigidity, which severely impact daily functioning, and TCE exposure is also associated with other serious health issues including miscarriages, congenital defects, and various cancers.
• TCE contamination is widespread, affecting not only occupational settings but also the general environment, as seen in the Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits alleging increased disease risk in the surrounding community.
• In response to these health risks, the Biden administration banned the manufacture, importation, and processing of TCE, with the EPA implementing the rule in March 2025 after previous delays.
• The EPA continues to update risk evaluations and propose regulations targeting toxic chemicals like TCE, aiming to address long-neglected occupational and environmental health hazards.