Vinyl Chloride
CAS ID #: 75-01-4
Affected Organ Systems: Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Vessels), Developmental (effects during periods when organs are developing) , Hepatic (Liver), Immunological (Immune System)
Cancer Classification: EPA: Known human carcinogen. IARC: Carcinogenic to humans . NTP: Known to be a human carcinogen
Please contact NTP, IARC, or EPA’s IRIS Hotline with questions on cancer and cancer classification.
Chemical Classification: Volatile organic compoundsSummary: Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas. It 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. Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.
Community Members
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Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.
U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina was established in 1942. In 1982, the Marine Corps discovered specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the drinking water provided by two of the eight water treatment plants on base.
Water from the Tarawa Terrace Treatment Plant was contaminated by PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene).
ATSDR and Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) are conducting an extensive review of environmental health concerns raised by the community members in Midlothian, Texas to determine if chemical releases from local industries could or have affected the health of persons and animals in the area.
Emergency Responders
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Toxicological and Health Professionals
Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for a hazardous substance.
Addendum to the Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride (February 2016)
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The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse, non-cancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. The information in this MRL serves as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to look more closely to evaluate possible risk of adverse health effects from human exposure.
- Page last reviewed: March 3, 2011
- Page last updated: March 3, 2011
- Content source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
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