More than 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease today, and this neurodegenerative disorder affects nearly 10 million people worldwide.1 But even as diagnoses surge, industries tied to manufacturing and defense are fighting to keep one of the most well-documented environmental triggers on the market — trichloroethylene (TCE).
A clear, volatile solvent used for industrial degreasing, TCE is a damaging chemical that seeps into groundwater, lingers in soil, and vaporizes into homes from contaminated sites. Today, it’s already banned or restricted in Europe and several other countries, and in December 2024, the U.S. followed suit, after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule banning all uses of TCE under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
However, there’s tremendous industry pressure for the EPA to reverse this ban — a move that will threaten and endanger the lives of millions who are unknowingly being exposed to this neurotoxin, putting them at risk of Parkinson’s disease and other health effects.
EPA Is Caving to Industry Pressure While TCE Continues to Poison Communities
An investigative report published by ProPublica2 (and reposted on the Children’s Health Defense website3) details how corporate lobbying and political maneuvering caused the EPA to delay the ban on TCE. Even after the agency has concluded that TCE posed an “unreasonable risk to human health,” their findings were quietly overruled behind closed doors.
• Multiple political efforts are working to dismantle the ban — After President Donald Trump began his second term, Republican lawmakers in both chambers of Congress filed resolutions aimed at repealing the EPA’s rule to ban TCE. Because the rule was finalized just before the new administration took office, it became vulnerable to reversal under the Congressional Review Act.
• Industry lawsuits and executive action have stalled enforcement — In addition to political attacks, the ban’s implementation is tied up in legal battles. Industry groups have filed lawsuits seeking to block the rule, while a Trump executive order put the ban on hold until March 21, 2025. Not long after, the EPA asked a federal court to extend that delay until the end of May 2025.
• Delays in enforcement leave workers without key protections — As the ban’s future hangs in limbo, employers remain off the hook when it comes to implementing new workplace safety standards. The EPA’s court filing to extend the delay also postpones required changes to how employers protect workers from TCE exposure on the job.
TCE Is Strongly Associated with Serious (and Often Irreversible) Health Risks
Used in degreasers, dry cleaning, and industrial processing, TCE is an industrial solvent that was commercially produced in 1925 (Read more about its history in my article, “Toxic Water Contaminants Implicated in Parkinson’s Disease.”) However, recent reports have linked TCE to multiple types of cancer, liver and kidney damage, and increased risk of fatal heart defects in infants.
Repeated exposure to TCE has also been linked with immunological, endocrine, and developmental effects.4 Both independent researchers and the EPA have confirmed that exposure significantly raises the risk of Parkinson’s disease as well.5,6
• Millions of Americans are drinking TCE-contaminated water — According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), over 17 million people in the U.S. are using tap water containing TCE. This widespread contamination underscores how far-reaching the health risks truly are.
• Office workers unknowingly exposed to TCE later developed Parkinson’s — The featured article also tells the story of Daniel Kinel and three of his coworkers who were diagnosed with Parkinson’s after spending years working next to a dry cleaning business that had improperly disposed of TCE. Kinel was diagnosed at just 43 years old after seven years in that office.
• TCE has polluted the environment around major U.S. communities — Investigations have documented TCE vapor plumes in cities like Woburn, Massachusetts; Wichita, Kansas; and on military installations such as Camp Lejeune. In these areas, service members and civilians have been diagnosed with cancers and Parkinson’s after prolonged exposure.
• People with TCE-related health conditions are speaking out against the rollback — Dr. Sara Whittingham, a retired Air Force flight surgeon diagnosed with Parkinson’s in her mid-40s, said she was stunned to learn the ban might be reversed. Given the established health risks, she couldn’t believe officials were considering undoing the rule.
“I thought it was a done deal. What the heck, how can nobody care about this?” she said. “This should be a nonpartisan issue.”7
• Trust in regulators continues to erode among impacted families — Residents living in communities with confirmed TCE contamination say they feel misled and abandoned by federal regulators. As the fight over the ban unfolds, many are questioning why public health was ignored for so long in favor of corporate interests.
The Camp Lejeune Scandal – A Cautionary Tale About TCE’s Toxicity
Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps Base Camp at the mouth of the New River on the Atlantic Ocean in North Carolina, is likely the site of the largest TCE contamination and scandal in the U.S. It was determined that drinking water at the base was contaminated between 1953 and 1985.8
• Marine and Naval personnel and civilian workers were exposed to TCE-contaminated drinking water — These individuals ingested, inhaled, and washed and bathed in the contaminated water. A Marine in training may consume as many as 6 liters of water daily, but the combined dose from inhalation and dermal exposure were likely higher.9
• TCE increased the risk of cancer among those stationed in Camp Lejeune — Studies found several cancers among Marine and Naval personnel and civilian workers who were likely exposed to the camp’s contaminated drinking water.10
• A recent study also detected increased risk of Parkinson’s disease — A cohort study of 340,489 service members found the risk of Parkinson’s was 70% higher for those stationed at Camp Lejeune versus those stationed at California’s Camp Pendleton.11
• Many also had Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms — Former Lejeune residents who did not have Parkinson’s also developed mood disorders, resting tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement, sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment, and postural instability.12
In 2012, the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act was passed by Congress, and it created a $2.2 billion fund to compensate survivors. The law compels the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to provide health benefits to eligible veterans and family members who develop any of the specific medical conditions associated with TCE contamination.13
Recent Study Highlights How TCE Triggers Brain Damage Associated with Parkinson’s Disease
A comprehensive review published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease analyzed decades of research to explore the link between environmental toxins — including TCE — and the rise of Parkinson’s disease.14 The paper asserts that environmental exposures, not aging or genetics, are the leading factor driving the global surge in Parkinson’s cases.
• The paper examined both how and where TCE exposure happens — The authors highlighted how exposure occurs not just in factories, but in homes, schools, and communities — especially in areas near contaminated air, water, or soil. The paper did not claim a universal cause-effect relationship but made a strong case that environmental exposures, such as TCE, play a significant role in increasing Parkinson’s risk.
• TCE damages the same brain cells affected in Parkinson’s patients — One of the standout points is that TCE causes selective damage to dopaminergic neurons, the exact brain cells that degenerate in Parkinson’s. These neurons reside in the substantia nigra, a region that regulates movement and motor control.
The authors cited multiple studies, including human and animal data, showing that TCE exposure leads to damage in this brain area consistent with Parkinson’s pathology.
• Exposure happens at work or in the environment, with delayed effects — They noted that some individuals, including veterans, industrial workers, and residents near polluted groundwater, who were exposed years or even decades ago are now developing symptoms, supporting a long latency between exposure and disease onset.
This delayed effect was called out as particularly concerning because it obscures the connection between cause and outcome, making regulatory action even more urgent.
• TCE disrupts mitochondrial function and causes oxidative stress — Findings from lab and animal studies also showed that TCE exposure leads to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are the parts of your cells that produce energy, and when they stop functioning properly, oxidative stress builds up.
The paper explained that oxidative stress is a major driver of neuron death, especially in dopamine-producing regions of the brain. The authors also discussed how mitochondrial damage is a consistent finding across many environmental toxins linked to Parkinson’s, including TCE.
• Neuroinflammation caused by TCE exposure worsens brain damage over time — TCE and other toxins also activate microglia, which are the immune cells of the brain. While these cells normally protect the brain, prolonged exposure to toxins causes them to overreact, leading to chronic inflammation and further neural damage.
The paper emphasized that this inflammation often continues long after the initial exposure, creating a vicious cycle of degeneration.
• Most Parkinson’s cases are not genetic or caused by aging — In fact, the study notes that purely genetic causes were said to account for only 2% to 3% of cases. Instead, most cases arise from a combination of environmental exposure and genetic vulnerability. The authors described TCE and similar chemicals as among “the most likely” causes of the disease and urged that action to limit exposure would be a decisive step toward prevention.15
This study provides robust, evidence-backed argument that TCE, along with other pesticides and air pollutants, plays a major role in triggering the biological processes that result in the Parkinson’s disease. These findings are consistent across multiple lines of research and must be taken seriously as part of any public health strategy.
Protect Yourself from TCE Exposure and Its Neurological Risks
Even if you don’t live near a factory or work with industrial solvents, it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. As with other pervasive environmental chemicals, TCE stealthily moves through air, water, and soil, hides in building materials, old cleaning products, and could even be found in the water lines beneath your home.
Once it’s in your body, it interferes with your mitochondria, triggers inflammation, and attacks the exact brain regions that control movement and cognition. To prevent problems down the road, here are five strategies I recommend.
1. Find out if your home or workplace is near a known contamination site — If you live near an old military base, dry cleaner, or industrial zone — especially one that used degreasers or solvents — your odds of exposure go up dramatically. Check with your local water utility for TCE testing results, ask for a full contaminant report, and request air quality assessments if you’re on or near a known vapor intrusion site.
2. Filter your water — Keep in mind that filtering your bathing, cooking, and drinking water is the goal. Ideally, you will have a system that offers a wide variety of methods, including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and carbon block filters. Read my article on how to properly filter your water for a more detailed guide.
3. Ventilate and seal to avoid indoor vapor intrusion — TCE seeps through concrete foundations and enter your indoor air from contaminated soil or groundwater. If you’re living near a known exposure zone, your best move is to increase ventilation and seal any foundation cracks.
A vapor barrier helps, but it’s most effective when combined with air exchangers or ventilation fans. Even simple actions like running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen will help lower airborne levels inside your home.
4. Support your body’s detox pathways with mitochondrial nutrients — TCE targets your mitochondria, so you want to give your cells the cofactors they need to maintain function and defend against damage. I recommend supplementing with niacinamide and thiamine — both help fuel mitochondrial processes and curb oxidative stress.
Magnesium threonate is also key here, not just for detox but for protecting your brain and improving mitochondrial function. Read about the brain health benefits of this nutrient in “Cognitive Benefits of Magnesium L-Threonate.”
5. Push for policy changes and local testing — Remember, your voice carries weight. Contact your city council, health department, or state environmental agency and demand that they test indoor air and drinking water for TCE. ProPublica’s report shows that companies lobbied to weaken EPA rules, so local action matters now more than ever. You might not reverse national policy overnight, but you can help change what happens in your zip code.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Dangers of Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Q: What is trichloroethylene (TCE) and why is it dangerous?
A: TCE is a chemical solvent used in industrial degreasing, dry cleaning, and manufacturing. It’s been linked to cancer, organ damage, and neurological conditions — most notably Parkinson’s disease — due to its ability to damage brain cells and disrupt mitochondrial function.
Q: Was TCE banned in the United States?
A: Yes, in December 2024 the EPA issued a final rule banning all uses of TCE under the Toxic Substances Control Act. However, industry and political pressure — especially following the start of President Trump’s second term — have delayed enforcement and are actively working to repeal the ban.
Q: How might I be exposed to TCE?
A: Exposure happens through drinking contaminated water, inhaling vapor seeping into buildings from polluted soil, or working in environments that use industrial solvents. Millions of Americans are exposed without realizing it, including those near military bases, factories, and old dry cleaning sites.
Q: What health risks are associated with TCE exposure?
A: TCE is known to cause liver and kidney damage, several cancers, and congenital heart defects. It is strongly linked to Parkinson’s disease due to its ability to destroy dopamine-producing brain cells and trigger chronic brain inflammation, even years after initial exposure.
Q: What steps can I take to protect myself and my family from TCE?
A: Check whether your home is near a contamination site, filter your water (especially with reverse osmosis systems), seal foundation cracks, improve indoor ventilation, and support your mitochondria with nutrients like niacinamide and thiamine. You can also advocate for local testing and stronger public health protections.
