Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) Information Sheet

What is vinyl chloride monomer?

• Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature that is created through a chemical reaction where ethylene and chlorine are transformed into vinyl chloride monomer[1].
• VCM is mostly used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is made into products that are part of our everyday lives, including PVC pipes that deliver clean drinking water, vinyl windows and siding for energy-efficient homes, and IV blood bags that preserve our Nation’s blood supply.

Release Impacts:

VCM is a reactive compound, but it is stable under recommended storage and handling conditions. It is not bioaccumulative, and exposure to sunlight helps it dissipate quickly.[2]

In its gas form[3]:

• VCM released into the air collects in low-lying areas where it dissipates rapidly and evaporates in approximately one to two days.
• VCM released into water partitions rapidly to air, dissipates quickly and has little impact on aquatic life.
• VCM released in the soil evaporates rapidly near the surface.

Known Health Issues

• VCM is considered a known human carcinogen in specific cases where industrial workers have had repeated, long-term exposure to elevated levels of VCM in a confined space.
• Low-level, short-term exposure to VCM is less toxic than commonly used substances like iodine, quartz, and nicotine.[4]
• Since the early 1970s, improvements in manufacturing facilities, engineering controls, and workplace practices have substantially reduced workplace exposures in the United States and most other industrialized countries that manufacture vinyl chloride and produce or fabricate PVC products[5].

PVC Product Safety

VCM is an intermediary chemical in the production of PVC. It is chemically transformed in the polymerization process and its presence in almost all cases is non-detectable in finished PVC products.[6]

• PVC is an inert material and is not carcinogenic.
• PVC products adhere to government safety regulations and standards for safe use. For example: PVC pipe for clean and drinking water delivery adheres to NSF/ANSI/61 standard; PVC medical applications adhere to U.S. Pharmacopeia Guidelines; and PVC in food contact is permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Vinyl Industry Safety & Environmental Performance

• The U.S. PVC industry is one of the most regulated industries in the United States.
• OSHA recordable incidents in the vinyl industry have declined 88% since 1993[7].
• VI PVC resin producers’ OSHA incident rate is one-third of the overall chemical industry incident rate, and one-fifth of the general manufacturing industry[8].
• For more than 3 decades the U.S. vinyl resin industry has decreased ambient emissions to air and water according to EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reports for vinyl chloride by 88% on a unit basis since 1987.

VCM Manufacturing Safety Protocols & Procedures

Manufacturers of PVC and VCM adhere to some of the most stringent safety and environmental regulations in the chemical industry. All safety protocols, procedures, and training programs are conducted in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

• Every facility monitors the air and water for releases. VCM releases of 1 pound or more are reported to state and or federal regulatory agencies.
• Facilities work closely with local rapid response teams to ensure there are good communications, safety, and emergency response plans.
• Every manufacturing facility is gated and has 24-hour security.

VCM Transportation Safety Protocols & Procedures

• The majority of VCM is produced onsite or near PVC resin manufacturing facilities and is mostly conveyed via pipeline. Relatively little is transported long distances via rail.
• The railroads have very strict safety processes and protocols for transporting VCM, and railroads are regulated by the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

[1] Source: CDC Agency for Toxic Substances & Diseases Registry (ATSDR) Vinyl Chloride Toxicological Profile

[2] Source: CDC ATSDR Vinyl Chloride Toxicological Profile

[3] Source: CDC ATSDR Vinyl Chloride Toxicological Profile

[4] Source: Permissible Exposure Limits – OSHA Annotated Table Z-1 |Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[5] Source: CDC ATSDR Vinyl Chloride Toxicological Profile

[6]Source:  https://www.uni-bell.org/Blogs/Technical-Blog/Post/2434/Leaching-of-Vinyl-Chloride-Monomer-VCM-Not-An-Issue-for-AWWA-PVC-Water-Pipe

[7]Source: U.S. EPA Toxic Inventory Release Data Emissions to Air and Water

[8] Source: Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by industry and case types, 2020 (bls.gov)