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Vinyl Chloride

CATEGORY: IARC known, NTP known

USED IN: Plastics, tobacco smoke

Manufacturers use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) extensively to produce food packaging, medical products, appliances, cars, toys, credit cards and rainwear. When PVC is made, vinyl chloride may be released into the air or wastewater. Vinyl chloride has also been found in the air near hazardous waste sites and landfills and in tobacco smoke.

Vinyl chloride was one of the first chemicals designated a known human carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program (NTP, 2005a) and IARC (1998). Vinyl chloride has been linked to increased mortality from breast and liver cancer among workers involved in its manufacture (Chiazze, 1981; Infante, 1994). Animals exposed long-term to low levels of airborne vinyl chloride show an increased risk of mammary tumors (ASTDR, 1996). 

• View references, from State of the Evidence (Sixth edition 2010).