Is Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) safe for dogs and cats?
High risk for petsBis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) is acutely toxic (GHS Category 1-3). Dogs may access through household exposure. Contact veterinarian immediately if exposure suspected.
What is bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme)?
The IUPAC name is chloro(chloromethoxy)methane.
Also known as: chloro(chloromethoxy)methane, BIS(CHLOROMETHYL) ETHER, Bis(chloromethyl)ether, Chloromethyl ether.
- IUPAC name
- chloro(chloromethoxy)methane
- CAS number
- 542-88-1
- Molecular formula
- C2H4Cl2O
- Molecular weight
- 114.96 g/mol
- SMILES
- C(OCCl)Cl
- PubChem CID
- 10967
Risk for dogs
High riskBis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) is acutely toxic (GHS Category 1-3). Dogs may access through household exposure. Contact veterinarian immediately if exposure suspected.
Risk for cats
High riskBis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) is acutely toxic (GHS Category 1-3). Cats are particularly vulnerable due to grooming behavior and glucuronidation deficiency.
Regulatory consensus
10 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC | 1987 | Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans) | IARC Supplement 7 (1987), originally Monograph 4 (1974). Extremely potent lung carcinogen (oat-cell/small cell carcinoma) in workers manufacturing ion-exchange resins. Sufficient evidence in humans and animals. Latency as short as 2–4 years from first exposure to cancer onset — among the shortest latencies of any occupational carcinogen. |
| US EPA | 2000 | known to be carcinogenic to humans | OSHA carcinogen standard (29 CFR 1910.1008); manufacture and use prohibited except under extremely restricted conditions. Among the most potent chemical carcinogens identified — estimated inhalation unit risk in the range of 10⁻² per μg/m³. Technical-grade chloromethyl methyl ether (CMME) is often contaminated with BCME and has caused additional occupational lung cancers. |
| EPA CTX / NIOSH | — | potential occupational carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / IRIS | — | A (Human carcinogen) | |
| EPA CTX / NTP RoC | — | Known Human Carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / IARC | — | Group 1 - Carcinogenic to humans | |
| EPA CTX / CalEPA | — | Known human carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 3 positive / 0 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 3 positive / 0 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Irritation: Skin corrosion/irritation - Category 1 (score: very high) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where pets encounter bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme)
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME):
-
Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.Relative cost: 2-5×
Frequently asked questions
Is bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme) safe for pets?
Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) is acutely toxic (GHS Category 1-3). Dogs may access through household exposure. Contact veterinarian immediately if exposure suspected.
What products contain bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme)?
Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).
Why do regulators disagree about bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme)?
Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) has been classified by 10 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / NIOSH, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Bis(chloromethyl) ether (BCME) in the pets app
Look up products containing bis(chloromethyl) ether (bcme), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in pets View raw API dataSources (3)
- IARC Monographs Volume 4: Bis(chloromethyl) Ether (updated Supplement 7, 1987) (1987) — regulatory
- OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1008: bis-Chloromethyl Ether (Carcinogen Standard) (1974) — regulatory
- ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Chloromethyl Ethers (1989) — report
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →