Methylene chloride is a colorless liquid used in certain industrial processes, "including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing and metal cleaning and degreasing", according to The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as reported by CNN.

Methylene chloride is known to be carcinogenic, designated as such by The National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health, The Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, said Dr. Maria Doa, senior director of chemical policy for the Environmental Defense Fund.

"Besides being carcinogenic, methylene chloride can cause other health 'damage', such as liver toxicity and, at higher exposures, neurological effects and, in some cases, death", added Dr. Maria Doa. These risks occur in the context of acute external exposure to high levels of the chemical or ingestion of it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This substance is considered so dangerous that its commercial use as a paint stripper has been banned since 2019. However, methylene chloride has been used for quite some time to produce decaffeinated coffee. However, some companies have begun using alternative methods to create this product, while others have completely banned its use.

"These chemicals cannot and definitely should not be considered safe", Dr. Maria Doa further emphasized.