1,2-Dichloroethane is an important organic chemical raw material and an excellent solvent. Its main application areas include vinyl chloride production; as a raw material for organic synthesis (for manufacturing vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol, oxalic acid, ethylenediamine, tetraethyl lead, polyethylenepolyamines, and benzil, etc.); as a solvent (excellent solvent for oils, fats, resins, rubbers, waxes, etc.); as an extractant (for extraction of oils, fats, tobacco, caffeine, vitamins, hormones, etc.); in dry cleaning (for garment dry cleaning); in pesticide manufacturing (as pesticide intermediates, grain fumigants, and insecticides); in the petroleum industry (for petroleum dewaxing and as anti‑knock agents); and in metal treatment (as metal degreasers)