§751.309. Phase-out of trichloroethylene use in vapor degreasing for rocket booster nozzles. — Inbound Citations

(11) After December 18, 2029, all persons are prohibited from the industrial and commercial use of TCE as a solvent in closed-loop batch vapor degreasing for rayon fabric scouring for end use in producing rocket booster nozzles for Federal agencies and their contractors, and manufacturing (including importing), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for such use. If such persons obtain and maintain the records required by §§ 751.309 and 751.323 demonstrating that a final pre-launch test was completed using an alternative to TCE in the production of the rocket booster nozzles, the industrial and commercial use of TCE as a solvent in closed-loop batch vapor degreasing for rayon fabric scouring for end use in producing rocket booster nozzles for Federal agencies and their contractors, and manufacturing (including importing), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for such use may continue beyond December 18, 2029.

(a) The provisions of this section apply to the following conditions of use of TCE when permitted to continue beyond December 18, 2025, pursuant to accordance with §§ 751.305(b)(8) through (25), 751.307, 751.309, and 751.311:

(1) Manufacturing (domestic manufacture);

(2) Manufacturing (import);

(3) Processing as a reactant/intermediate;

(4) Processing into formulation, mixture, or reaction product;

(5) Processing (repackaging);

(6) Processing (recycling);

(7) process solvent used in battery manufacture; process solvent used in polymer fiber spinning, fluoroelastomer manufacture and Alcantara manufacture; extraction solvent used in caprolactam manufacture; precipitant used in beta-cyclodextrin manufacture;

(8) Industrial and commercial use of TCE as an adhesive and sealant for essential aerospace applications;

(9) Industrial and commercial use of TCE in other miscellaneous industrial and commercial uses (laboratory use);

(10) Industrial and commercial use of TCE as a solvent in closed-loop batch vapor degreasing for rayon fabric scouring for end use in rocket booster nozzle production by Federal agencies and their contractors;

(11) Industrial and commercial use of TCE in closed-loop or open-top batch vapor degreasing for essential aerospace parts and components and narrow tubing used for medical devices;

(12) Industrial and commercial use of TCE for vessels of the Armed Forces and their systems, and in the maintenance, fabrication, and sustainment for and of such vessels and systems; as potting compounds for naval electronic systems and equipment; sealing compounds for high and ultra-high vacuum systems; bonding compounds for materials testing and maintenance of underwater systems and bonding of nonmetallic materials; and cleaning agents to satisfy cleaning requirements (which includes degreasing using wipes, sprays, solvents and vapor degreasing) for: materials and components required for military ordnance testing; temporary resin repairs in vessel spaces where welding is not authorized; ensuring polyurethane adhesion for electronic systems and equipment repair and installation of elastomeric materials; various naval combat systems, radars, sensors, equipment; fabrication and prototyping processes to remove coolant and other residue from machine parts; machined part fabrications for naval systems; installation of topside rubber tile material aboard vessels; and vapor degreasing required for substrate surface preparation prior to electroplating processes;

(13) Industrial and commercial use of TCE as a solvent in closed-loop batch vapor degreasing necessary for rocket engine cleaning by Federal agencies and their contractors;

(14) Industrial and commercial use of TCE in batch vapor degreasing for land-based DoD defense systems by Federal agencies and their contractors; and

(15) Disposal of TCE to industrial pre-treatment, industrial treatment, or publicly owned treatment works, except for the disposal permitted in § 751.305(b)(9) and to the extent that the activity is covered by the workplace protections in § 751.319.

(2) Beginning September 15, 2025, each person using TCE under § 751.309 for industrial and commercial use as a solvent for closed-loop batch vapor degreasing for rayon fabric scouring for end use in rocket booster nozzle production by Federal agencies and their contractors must maintain records demonstrating that the end use is in rocket booster nozzle production for Federal agencies and their contractors.