The edited highlights from the CDC's "ToxFAQ" for vinyl chloride:
Vinyl chloride is a colorless, flammable gas at normal temperatures with a mild, sweet odor. It is a manufactured substance that is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and the furniture and automobile upholstery.
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.
What happens to vinyl chloride when it enters the environment?
- Liquid vinyl chloride evaporates easily into the air. Vinyl chloride, if it is near the surface of soil or water, can also evaporate.
- Vinyl chloride in the air can break down within 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.