Tox FAQs - Methylene Chloride

Written By: Atanu Das on Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Published by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the ToxFAQs highlight toxicity information about many common chemicals. For Methylene Chloride here are some highlights:

Exposure to methylene chloride occurs mostly from breathing contaminated air, but may also occur through skin contact or by drinking contaminated water. Breathing in large amounts of methylene chloride can damage the central nervous system. Contact of eyes or skin with methylene chloride can result in burns. Methylene chloride has been found in at least 882 of 1,569 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

 

What is methylene chloride?

Methylene chloride is a colorless liquid with a mild, sweet odor. Another name for it is dichloromethane. Methylene chloride does not occur naturally in the environment.

Methylene chloride is used as an industrial solvent and as a paint stripper. It may also be found in some aerosol and pesticide products and is used in the manufacture of photographic film.

What happens to methylene chloride when it enters the environment?

• Methylene chloride is mainly released to the environment in air. About half of the methylene chloride in air disappears in 53 to 127 days.
• Methylene chloride does not easily dissolve in water, but small amounts may be found in drinking water.
• We do not expect methylene chloride to build up in plants or animals.

How might I be exposed to methylene chloride?

• The most likely way to be exposed to methylene chloride is by breathing contaminated air.
• Breathing the vapors given off by products containing methylene chloride. Exposure to high levels of methylene chloride is likely if methylene chloride or a product containing it is used in a room with inadequate ventilation.

How can methylene chloride affect my health?

If you breathe in large amounts of methylene chloride you may feel unsteady, dizzy, and have nausea and a tingling or numbness of your finger and toes. A person breathing smaller amounts of methylene chloride may become less attentive and less accurate in tasks requiring hand-eye coordination. Skin contact with methylene chloride causes burning and redness of the skin.