I-Toxic-Free Futures isebenza ukukhuthaza ukusetyenziswa kweemveliso ezikhuselekileyo, iikhemikhali kunye neendlela zokwenza izinto ukuze kubekho ikamva elisempilweni ngophando oluphambili, ukuxhasa, ukulungelelanisa abantu abaqhelekileyo kunye nokubandakanya abathengi.
Ngo-Epreli 2023, i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo iphakamise ukuvalwa kokusetyenziswa kwe-methylene chloride. I-Toxic-Free Futures yamkele esi siphakamiso ngelixa icela i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo ukuba yenze ngokukhawuleza ukugqiba lo mthetho kwaye yandise ukhuseleko lwayo kubo bonke abasebenzi.
I-Methylene chloride (ekwaziwa ngokuba yi-methylene chloride okanye i-DCM) sisinyibilikisi se-organohalogen esisetyenziswa kwiimveliso zokususa ipeyinti okanye ii-coating kunye nezinye iimveliso ezifana nezicoci kunye nezisusa amabala. Xa umphunga we-methylene chloride uqokelelana, le khemikhali inokubangela ukufuthaniseka kunye nokuhlaselwa yintliziyo. Oku kuye kwenzeka kubantu abaninzi abasebenzise ii-paint and coating strippers eziqulethe le khemikhali, kuquka uKevin Hartley noJoshua Atkins. Akukho ntsapho ifanele ilahlekelwe ngumntu emthandayo kwakhona ngenxa yale khemikhali.
Ngowama-2017, i-US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yacebisa ukuba kuthintelwe ukusetyenziswa kwe-methylene chloride kwiimveliso zokususa ipeyinti (ezisetyenziswa kwiindawo zokuhlala nakwiindawo zorhwebo). Kamva kuloo nyaka, i-methylene chloride yaba yenye yeekhemikhali ezilishumi zokuqala “ezikhoyo” apho i-Environmental Protection Agency yaqala khona uvavanyo lomngcipheko ukuze iqwalasele zonke iindlela ezisetyenziswa ngayo le khemikhali.
I-Toxic-Free Future iqalise iphulo lokweyisela abathengisi abangaphezu kweshumi elinesibini, kuquka iLowe's, iHome Depot kunye neWalmart, ukuba bayeke ngokuzithandela ukuthengisa iipeyinti ezikhupha ipeyinti eziqulethe le khemikhali. Emva kokudibana neentsapho zabantu abasweleke ngenxa yokuchatshazelwa kakhulu yile khemikhali, i-Environmental Protection Agency ekugqibeleni yavala ukusetyenziswa kwayo kwiimveliso zabathengi ngo-2019, kodwa yavumela ukusetyenziswa kwayo okuqhubekayo kwiindawo zokusebenza apho ukusetyenziswa kwayo kunokunxulunyaniswa nokufa okufanayo xa kusetyenziswa ekhaya. Enyanisweni, phakathi kowe-1985 nowe-2018, bekukho abantu abayi-85 ababhubhileyo ngenxa yokuchatshazelwa, abangama-75% kubo babebangelwa kukuchatshazelwa yindawo yokusebenza.

Ngowama-2020 nangowama-2022, i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo yapapasha uvavanyo lomngcipheko olufumanise ukuba uninzi lokusetyenziswa kwe-methylene chloride “luyingozi engafanelekanga kwimpilo okanye kwindalo esingqongileyo.” Ngowama-2023, i-Arhente yoKhuseleko lweNdalo yacebisa ukuthintela ukusetyenziswa kweekhemikhali ngabathengi kunye nokusetyenziswa okuninzi kwemizi-mveliso kunye norhwebo, kunye nokukhululwa kwexesha elifutshane kokusetyenziswa okubalulekileyo kunye nokukhululwa okubalulekileyo kwezinye iiarhente zikarhulumente kwiimfuno zokhuseleko lwendawo yokusebenza.