Feb152023thvsOct082022_VinylChoride
79 removals
151 lines
43 additions
118 lines
Skip directly to site content
Skip directly to site content
Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registration
Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registration
Toxic Substances Portal
Toxic Substances Portal
TSP Home
TSP Home
Vinyl Chloride
Vinyl Chloride
ToxFAQs
ToxFAQs
On This Page
On This Page
Highlights
What is vinyl chloride?
What is vinyl chloride?
What happens to vinyl chloride when it enters the environment?
What happens to vinyl chloride in the environment?
How might I be exposed to vinyl chloride?
How can I be exposed to vinyl chloride?
How can vinyl chloride affect my health?
How can vinyl chloride affect my health?
How likely is vinyl chloride to cause cancer?
Can vinyl chloride cause cancer?
How can vinyl chloride affect children?
Can I get a medical test to check for vinyl chloride?
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to vinyl chloride?
How can I protect myself and my family from vinyl chloride?
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to vinyl chloride?
For more information?
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
References
Where can I get more information?
ToxFAQs™ for Vinyl Chloride
ToxFAQs™ for Vinyl Chloride
CAS#: 75-01-4
CAS#: 75-01-4
PDF Versionpdf icon[91.5 KB]
PDF Versionpdf icon[91.5 KB]
This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about vinyl chloride. For more information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-800-232-4636. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
Highlights
Exposure to vinyl chloride occurs mainly in the workplace. Breathing high levels of vinyl chloride for short periods of time can cause dizziness, sleepiness, unconsciousness, and at extremely high levels can cause death. Breathing vinyl chloride for long periods of time can result in permanent liver damage, immune reactions, nerve damage, and liver cancer. This substance has been found in at least 616 of the 1,662 National Priority List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is vinyl chloride?
What is vinyl chloride?
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas. It burns easily and it is not stable at high temperatures. It has a mild, sweet odor. It is a manufactured substance that does not occur naturally. It can be formed when other substances such as trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene are broken down. Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor. It burns easily and it is not stable at high temperatures. Vinyl chloride is a manufactured substance that does not occur naturally. It can be formed when other substances such as trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene are broken down.
Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.
Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
Top of Page
Top of Page
What happens to vinyl chloride when it enters the environment?
What happens to vinyl chloride in the environment?
Liquid vinyl chloride evaporates easily. Vinyl chloride in water or soil evaporates rapidly if it is near the surface.
Vinyl chloride in the air breaks down in a few days to other substances, some of which can be harmful.
Small amounts of vinyl chloride can dissolve in water.
Vinyl chloride is unlikely to build up in plants or animals that you might eat.
Liquid vinyl chloride evaporates easily. Vinyl chloride in water or soil evaporates rapidly if it is near the surface. Vinyl chloride in the air breaks down in a few days to other substances, some of which can be harmful. Small amounts of vinyl chloride can dissolve in water. Vinyl chloride is unlikely to build up in plants or animals that you might eat.
Top of Page
Top of Page
How might I be exposed to vinyl chloride?
How can I be exposed to vinyl chloride?
Breathing vinyl chloride that has been released from plastics industries, hazardous waste sites, and landfills.
You can be exposed by breathing vinyl chloride that has been released from plastic manufacturing facilities, hazardous waste sites, and landfills. You can also be exposed from cigarette and cigar smoke. You can be exposed to very low levels of vinyl chloride in drinking water.
Breathing vinyl chloride in air or during contact with your skin or eyes in the workplace.
Drinking water from contaminated wells.
Workers can be exposed by breathing vinyl chloride in air or during contact with skin or eyes in the workplace.
Top of Page
Top of Page
How can vinyl chloride affect my health?
How can vinyl chloride affect my health?
Breathing high levels of vinyl chloride can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy. Breathing very high levels can cause you to pass out, and breathing extremely high levels can cause death.
The levels of vinyl chloride typically found in the environment are lower than levels known to cause health problems.
Some people who have breathed vinyl chloride for several years have changes in the structure of their livers. People are more likely to develop these changes if they breathe high levels of vinyl chloride. Some people who work with vinyl chloride have nerve damage and develop immune reactions. The lowest levels that produce liver changes, nerve damage, and immune reaction in people are not known. Some workers exposed to very high levels of vinyl chloride have problems with the blood flow in their hands. Their fingers turn white and hurt when they go into the cold.
Breathing high levels of vinyl chloride can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy. Breathing very high levels can cause you to pass out, and breathing extremely high levels can cause death. Some people who have breathed vinyl chloride for several years have changes in the structure of their livers. People are more likely to develop these changes if they breathe high levels of vinyl chloride. Some people who work with vinyl chloride have nerve damage and develop alterations in immunity. The lowest levels that produce liver changes, nerve damage, and alterations in immunity in people are not known. Some workers exposed to very high levels of vinyl chloride have problems with the blood flow in their hands. Their fingers turn white and hurt when they go into the cold. Highly exposed workers have also developed a specific type of cancer known as angiosarcoma of the liver. The effects of drinking high levels of vinyl chloride are unknown. If you spill vinyl chloride on your skin, it will cause numbness, redness, and blisters.
The effects of drinking high levels of vinyl chloride are unknown. If you spill vinyl chloride on your skin, it will cause numbness, redness, and blisters.
Animal studies have shown that exposure to vinyl chloride during pregnancy can affect the growth and development of the fetus.
Animal studies have shown that long-term exposure to vinyl chloride can damage the sperm and testes.
Top of Page
Top of Page
How likely is vinyl chloride to cause cancer?
Can vinyl chloride cause cancer?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen. Studies in workers who have breathed vinyl chloride over many years showed an increased risk of liver, brain, lung cancer, and some cancers of the blood have also been observed in workers.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has classified vinyl chloride as known to be a human carcinogen (cause cancer).
Top of Page
How can vinyl chloride affect children?
It has not been proven that vinyl chloride causes birth defects in humans, but studies in animals suggest that vinyl chloride might affect growth and development. Animal studies also suggest that infants and young children might be more susceptible than adults to vinyl chloride-induced cancer.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified vinyl chloride as a known human carcinogen by the inhalation route of exposure. It has also classified it as carcinogenic by the oral route and likely to be carcinogenic by the dermal route.
Top of Page
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to vinyl chloride?
Tobacco smoke contains low levels of vinyl chloride, so limiting your family's exposure to cigarette or cigar smoke may help reduce their exposure to vinyl chloride.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) determined that vinyl chloride is carcinogenic to humans.
Top of Page
Top of Page
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to vinyl chloride?
Can I get a medical test to check for vinyl chloride?
The results of several tests can sometimes show if you have been exposed to vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride can be measured in your breath, but the test must be done shortly after exposure. This is not helpful for measuring very low levels of vinyl chloride.
The results of several tests can sometimes show if you have been exposed to vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride can be measured in your breath, but the test must be done shortly after exposure. This is not helpful for measuring very low levels of vinyl chloride.
The amount of the major breakdown product of vinyl chloride, thiodiglycolic acid, in the urine may give some information about exposure. However, this test must be done shortly after exposure and does not reliably indicate the level of exposure.
The amount of the major breakdown product of vinyl chloride, thiodiglycolic acid, in the urine may give some information about exposure. However, this test must be done shortly after exposure and may also indicate exposure to other chemicals in addition to or besides vinyl chloride.
Top of Page
Top of Page
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
How can I protect myself and my family from vinyl chloride?
Vinyl chloride is regulated in drinking water, food, and air. The EPA requires that the amount of vinyl chloride in drinking water not exceed 0.002 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of water.
Tobacco smoke contains low levels of vinyl chloride, so limiting your family's exposure to cigarette or cigar smoke may help reduce their exposure to vinyl chloride.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a limit of 1 part vinyl chloride per 1 million parts of air (1 ppm) in the workplace.
Workers using or making vinyl chloride should wear protective eye wear, clothing, gloves, and when needed, respiratory protection.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the vinyl chloride content of various plastics. These include plastics that carry liquids and plastics that contact food. The limits for vinyl chloride content vary depending on the nature of the plastic and its use.
Top of Page
Top of Page
References
For more information?
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2006. Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Call CDC-INFO at 1-800-232-4636, or submit your question online at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form
Top of Page
Where can I get more information?
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your community or state health or environmental quality department or:
Go to ATSDR’s Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxProfiles/ToxProfiles.aspx?id=282&tid=51
For more information, contact:
Go to ATSDR’s Toxic Substances Portal: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/index.aspx
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Office of Innovation and Analytics, Toxicology Section
4770 Buford Highway
Chamblee, GA 30341-3717
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: Contact CDC-INFO
ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.
Find & contact your ATSDR Regional Representative at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/DRO/dro_org.html
Top of Page
Top of Page
Page last reviewed: August 28, 2014
Page last reviewed: February 09, 2023
Content source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Content source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate
TSP Home
TSP Home
Vinyl Chloride
Vinyl Chloride
ToxFAQs
ToxFAQs
Public Health Statement
Toxicological Profile
Toxicological Profile
ToxGuide
ToxGuide
Medical Management Guidelines (MMG) for Acute Chemical Exposure
Medical Management Guidelines (MMG) for Acute Chemical Exposure
ToxProfile Index
ToxProfile Index
About CDC / ATSDR
About CDC / ATSDR
Contact Us
Contact Us
800-232-4636
800-232-4636
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Twitter
Instagram
Instagram
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Youtube
Youtube
Pinterest
Pinterest
Snapchat
Snapchat
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Accessibility
Accessibility
External Links
External Links
Privacy
Privacy
Policies
Policies
No Fear Act
No Fear Act
FOIA
FOIA
Nondiscrimination
Nondiscrimination
OIG
OIG
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
USA.gov
USA.gov