About Vinyl Chloride

The sickly sweet interior odor of a recently purchased automobile referred to as new car smell is actually the gas vinyl chloride. Toxic, flammable and carcinogenic, vinyl chloride is found everywhere. It is used to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, wiring, product packaging and numerous vinyl products found around the home.

History

• German chemist Fritz Klatte patented vinyl chloride in 1912. Exposing the gas to sunlight caused a chemical reaction that formed a white solid material, which was difficult to work with. It was not until the 1920s that Waldo Semon stumbled on the gas, and thought to use it as a cheap replacement to more costly rubber -- PVC was born. By World War II, the military and civilians were using it.

Production

• U.S. producers create hundreds of tons of vinyl chloride per year to keep up with ever-increasing demand. In order to create the monomer, natural gas is first cooked, forming ethylene, in a process referred to as cracking. Electrolysis then splits sodium chloride, or rock salt, forming chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The chlorine and ethylene combine to form vinyl chloride. When the individual vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) molecules are polymerized, or formed into chains, the plastic PVC is created.

Short-Term Effects

• Short-term exposure to vinyl chloride can be as minor as eye or respiratory tract irritation. People often report the following side effects: loss of consciousness, dizziness, drowsiness, giddiness and headaches. Exposure can occur from contaminated water, air or less often through physical contact. Those that PVC manufacturers employee are most at risk, although persons inhabiting areas around factories are in constant danger of leaks and tainted water supplies.

Long-Term Effects

• Chronic exposure to vinyl chloride can lead to liver damage and cancer. People exposed to extremely high levels of airborne VCM place themselves in extreme danger. Women have experienced miscarriages and birth defects, and men have experienced lower sperm counts. In the lab, permanent damage to sexual organs have been recorded. Joint damage and decreased bone strength have been noted as well. The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes this major concern, and lists VCM as a a human carcinogen.