[Bis (2-chloroethyl) ether (CAS # 111-44-4)], dichloroethyl ether is mainly used as a chemical intermediate for the manufacture of pesticides, but sometimes it can also be used as a solvent and cleaning agent. It is irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs and causes discomfort.

1. How does dichloroethyl ether change into the environment?
Dichloroethyl ether released into the air will react with other chemicals and sunlight to be decomposed or removed from the air by rain.
Dichloroethyl ether will be decomposed by bacteria if it is in water.
Part of the dichloroethyl ether released into the soil will be filtered and penetrated into the groundwater, some will be decomposed by bacteria, and the other part will evaporate into the air.
Dichloroethyl ether does not accumulate in the food chain.

2. What effect does dichloroethyl ether have on my health?
Exposure to dichloroethyl ether can cause discomfort to the skin, eyes, throat and lungs. Inhaling low concentrations of dichloroethyl ether can cause coughing and nose and throat discomfort. Animal studies show symptoms similar to those observed in humans. These symptoms include irritation to the skin, nose, and lungs, lung damage, and decreased growth rate. It takes 4 to 8 days for the surviving laboratory animals to fully recover.

3. Domestic and foreign laws and regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) recommends that the value of dichloroethyl ether in lake water and rivers should be limited to less than 0.03 ppm to prevent health hazards caused by drinking or eating contaminated water sources. Any release of more than 10 pounds of dichloroethyl ether into the environment must be notified.

Taiwan’s labor working environment air pollution allowable concentration standard stipulates that the average allowable concentration of dichloroethyl ether (Dichloroethyl ether) in the workplace for eight hours per day (PEL-TWA) is 5 ppm, 29 mg/m3.