What do your shower curtains, plumbing pipes, windows, flooring, and children’s toys have in common? Many are made with vinyl chloride—a known human carcinogen that is used in PVC plastic.
Vinyl chloride made headlines back in February 2023 when a train carrying this toxic chemical derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. In the days that followed, over 115,000 gallons of vinyl chloride were released into the town. But the truth is that the vast majority of vinyl chloride exposures don’t make it into the national news cycle. Many happen quietly in communities located near factories where vinyl chloride is produced or in areas near hazardous waste sites and landfills, putting residents—all too often people of color and low-income families—at higher risk for cancer and other health issues.
Here’s the good news: earlier today, EPA took the first step toward banning this dangerous petrochemical. The agency announced that it is starting a long-awaited process to review vinyl chloride, and four other chemicals, for regulatory action. In choosing chemicals for in-depth evaluations, EPA prioritizes known carcinogens, chemicals with high acute or chronic toxicity, and those that persist in the environment and accumulate in people and animals.
In response to this news, our Senior Policy Analyst for Petrochemicals, Cynthia Palmer, released a statement, saying:
“Today’s action is an important first step, one that should lead EPA to determine that vinyl chloride poses an ‘unreasonable risk’ of harm at every stage in the supply chain, from production to use to disposal. Vinyl chloride is a toxic, flammable, and explosive chemical that threatens the health of our families and communities… Thousands of Moms Clean Air Force members petitioned for this EPA action because our families and our communities deserve protection from this widely used carcinogen. We will continue to advocate for a ban on vinyl chloride and a world where all children are safe from toxic chemicals and other industrial pollutants.”
Now our job is to keep up the “Ban Vinyl Chloride” drumbeat. With safer alternatives available, we need this dangerous chemical out of our products and communities as soon as possible.