How does chloroform's toxicity and regulatory status affect its market and handling?

How does chloroform's toxicity and regulatory status affect its market and handling?
Chloroform is classified as a 2B carcinogen by the IARC and listed in China's first batch of toxic and hazardous water pollutants. It primarily targets the central nervous system, causing anesthesia-like effects, and can damage the heart, liver and kidneys upon acute or chronic exposure. Inhalation or skin absorption may lead to headaches, nausea, and in severe cases, respiratory paralysis or ventricular fibrillation. The compound slowly oxidizes in air to phosgene, a highly toxic gas, which is why industrial grades contain stabilizers and storage requires airtight, light-protected containers. These hazards have pushed many laboratory and consumer applications toward safer alternatives, such as dichloromethane. In consumer products, incidents like the nail polish contamination case highlight the importance of strict quality control. Regulatory scrutiny is increasing, potentially raising compliance costs for producers and limiting certain downstream uses.