Vinyl Chloride: Environmental and Industry Regulation
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Vinyl
Chloride Lawsuits |
Vinyl Chloride in the Environment Nearly 14 billion pounds of vinyl chloride is produced each year. Vinyl chloride's major release into the environment consists of emissions and waste water at PVC plastics production and manufacturing facilities. Food wrappings and containers made of a vinyl chloride product may also release small quantities of vinyl chloride into food. From 1987 to 1993, according to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, vinyl chloride releases to water and land totaled over 38,000 pounds. These releases resulted primarily from plastic material and resin industries. The largest releases occurred in Louisiana and Delaware. Liquid vinyl chloride evaporates easily into the air. Vinyl chloride in the air can break down within a few days to other substances, some of which can be harmful. Vinyl chloride released to the soil will quickly evaporate, break down through microbial processes, or leach to the ground water. Vinyl chloride formed from the breakdown of other chemicals can enter ground water. Small amounts of vinyl chloride can dissolve in water. It also rapidly evaporates from water, but does not degrade there. Vinyl Chloride does not accumulate in aquatic life. Vinyl chloride is unlikely to build up in plants or animals. Regulating Vinyl Chloride In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires the EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water that do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG). The EPA has set the MCLG for vinyl chloride at zero because it believes that only this level of protection prevent the potential health problems associated with vinyl chloride. Based on the MCLG, the EPA has set an enforceable standard called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public water suppliers to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies. The EPA has set the MCL at two parts per billion (2 ppb) because the EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which the government can reasonably require water suppliers to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water. If the levels of vinyl chloride exceed the MCL, two parts per billion, the water supplier must notify the public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. The EPA may require additional actions, such as providing alternative drinking water supplies to prevent serious risks to public health The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set the maximum allowable level of vinyl chloride in workroom air during an eight hour workday in a forty hour work week at one part vinyl chloride per million parts of air (1 ppm). |