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Vinyl chloride is a chemical compound, a colorless gas used in producing some plastics, that is believed to be oncogenic. It is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)—an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—vinyl chloride "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."
ATSDR adds: "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 ... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen."
As a result, the EPA "strongly encourages people to learn more about their drinking water, and to support local efforts to protect and upgrade the supply of safe drinking water."
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