Contact:
Sasha Tenenbaum, Moms Clean Air Force — [email protected]
(917) 887-0146
On December 14th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is starting a long-awaited process to review five chemicals for regulatory action under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 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. All five of the chemicals selected today are used for making plastic or other petrochemicals. These substances are extremely harmful to children and to all of us. EPA’s newly-released list includes vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen that is used to make PVC plastic.
In response to this news, Cynthia Palmer, Senior Analyst for Petrochemicals at Moms Clean Air Force, issued the following statement:
“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. In 1974, EPA declared vinyl chloride a human carcinogen. Now it is time for EPA to ban vinyl chloride altogether.
“Today, the EPA began a multiyear process that could bring about significant new protections from this pernicious, ubiquitous pollutant. Used to make PVC plastic, vinyl chloride is everywhere, from children’s toys to water pipes to food packaging—despite the availability of safe substitutes.
“Vinyl chloride can set off a cascade of health impacts including liver cancers, brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia. Vinyl chloride even crosses the placental barrier during pregnancy, exposing countless children to harmful pollution before they take their first breath.
“Production of vinyl chloride generates vast amounts of greenhouse gases, puts workers at risk of fatal illnesses, and blankets communities with hazardous air pollution. In addition to the ‘round-the-clock emissions in the vicinity of the vinyl chloride and PVC production and disposal facilities, there is the constant threat of chemical disasters, putting already overburdened neighborhoods at risk from chemical leaks and explosions. Additionally, towns across America such as East Palestine, OH unwittingly host the bomb trains, bomb trucks and pipelines that transport these plastic-making chemicals.
“Production of vinyl chloride and PVC is concentrated primarily in Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Illinois, and Mississippi. The facilities–predominantly sited in low-income and Black and Brown communities–release hundreds of thousands of pounds of vinyl chloride into the air each year, exposing workers and surrounding communities not only to vinyl chloride and dioxins, but also to asbestos, PFAS, and other toxic chemicals.
“On behalf of our more than 1.5 million members, Moms Clean Air Force is calling on EPA to put an end to the production and use of this dangerous chemical. 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.”
RESOURCES:
- Learn more about vinyl chloride.
- Take action.
- View our photo album.
- Watch the short documentary, “Small Town Explosion: What Really Happened in East Palestine?” featuring some Moms Clean Air Force members in action.