Vinyl Chloride Surveillance

It is used to make plastics, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products in the construction, automobile, furniture, glass, and plastics industries.

Vinyl chloride is not known to occur naturally although it has been found in landfill gas and groundwater. Vinyl chloride is also present in cigarette smoke.

Acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of vinyl chloride can cause symptoms which include: earache and headache, dizziness, unclear vision, fatigue and lack of appetite, nausea, sleeplessness, breathlessness, and stomach ache.

Chronic (long-term) exposure harms the liver, lungs, brain and other blood forming organs. It has also been linked to brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, lymphoma, and other cancers.

Breathing air contaminated with vinyl chloride is the most common means of being exposed.

Most people who are exposed to vinyl chloride come into contact with the substance in a workplace environment. There is higher risk for those who work in industries manufacturing PVC products and those who work near plastic facilities, landfills, or hazardous materials locations.