What Is Perchloroethylene (PCE)?
ATSDR describes tetrachloroethylene as a nonflammable, colorless liquid also known as perchloroethylene, PCE, perc, tetrachloroethene and perchlor, used as a dry cleaning agent and metal degreasing solvent, as a building block for other chemicals, and in some consumer products.
ATSDR says breathing high levels for a brief period may cause dizziness or drowsiness, headache and incoordination, that higher levels may cause unconsciousness and even death, and that longer exposure to low levels may cause changes in mood, memory, attention, reaction time and vision. It says human studies suggest exposure might lead to a higher risk of bladder cancer, multiple myeloma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, that HHS considers it reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, that the EPA considers it likely to be carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure, and that IARC considers it probably carcinogenic to humans.
The EPA's December 2024 rule, effective January 17, 2025, prohibits commercial use of PCE in dry cleaning machines acquired after June 16, 2025, adds a step in December 2027 for certain uses, and prohibits PCE for dry cleaning and spot cleaning after December 19, 2034. In July 2025 the EPA opened a reconsideration of the rule after legal challenges, and a final rule effective July 28, 2026 extended certain workplace protection compliance dates to 2027, leaving those dry cleaning dates in place.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceATSDR describes tetrachloroethylene, also called perchloroethylene, PCE or perc, as a nonflammable colorless liquid used as a dry cleaning agent and metal degreasing solvent and in some consumer products. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says breathing high levels of tetrachloroethylene briefly may cause dizziness, headache and incoordination, higher levels may cause unconsciousness and death, and long low-level exposure may affect mood, memory, attention and vision. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says HHS considers tetrachloroethylene reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, the EPA considers it likely carcinogenic by all routes, and IARC considers it probably carcinogenic to humans. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Regulatory filingThe EPA's PCE rule prohibits commercial use of PCE in dry cleaning machines acquired after June 16, 2025, and prohibits PCE for dry cleaning and spot cleaning after December 19, 2034. US EPA, Federal Register, via GovInfo ↗
- Regulatory filingIn July 2025 the EPA sought public comment to inform its reconsideration of the PCE rule, following legal challenges and its determination that the rule should be reconsidered through further rulemaking. US EPA, Federal Register, via GovInfo ↗
- Regulatory filingIn a final rule effective July 28, 2026, the EPA extended certain PCE workplace protection compliance dates for non-federal owners and operators to June 21, 2027 and September 20, 2027. US EPA, Federal Register, via GovInfo ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.