Carbon tetrachloride

Overview

EPA has finalized the Toxicological Review of Carbon Tetrachloride: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Now final, this assessment may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health.

Background

Carbon tetrachloride has been used as a dry-cleaning agent, fabric-spotting fluid, solvent, reagent in chemical synthesis, fire extinguisher fluid, and grain fumigant, but its primary use was in chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) production. Production of this chemical peaked in the early 1970s; annual production has generally declined since the mid-1970s. The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of carbon tetrachloride in consumer products in the 1970s. Decline in the use of carbon tetrachloride also accompanied EPA’s increased regulation of the use of CFCs in propellants, and the Montreal Protocol, which was implemented in the U.S. via Title VI of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and that called for a ban (with certain exemptions) on production and import of carbon tetrachloride.

History/Chronology

Date	Description
1987	EPA posts the carbon tetrachloride IRIS assessment on the IRIS database (RfD and cancer assessment).
May 2008	EPA released the external review draft for public comment. [Federal Register Notice May 21, 2008]
Nov 2009	EPA hosted an interagency science discussion on the review of the draft Toxicological Review of Carbon Tetrachloride.
Mar 2010	EPA released the Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for Carbon Tetrachloride and the interagency review draft with interagency review comments.

This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

• IRIS Toxicological Review of Carbon Tetrachloride (PDF)  (473  pp, 4.0 MB, about PDF)
• IRIS Summary of Carbon Tetrachloride (PDF)  (42  pp, 301.8 KB, about PDF)

If you have a disability and the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please reach out to us using the Contact Us about IRIS form for assistance. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of the accessibility problem, the web address of the requested material, your preferred format in which you want to receive the material (electronic format (ASCII, etc.), standard print, large print, etc.), and your contact information.

Document Related Link(s)

• IRIS Toxicological Review for Carbon Tetrachloride (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)
• IRIS Toxicological Review of Carbon Tetrachloride (External Review Draft)