By the end of the 1960s the plastic industry had discovered that Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM), the substance used to make Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, presented a potential hazard to its employees’ health (causing acroosteolysis of the fingers in cleaners of autoclaves within PVC production plants).
Prior to this discovery, VCM was not considered as having any substantial risk associated with being exposed to it. But this first discovery that it represented a hazard to those exposed to it was followed in the early 1970s by the findings that VCM could also induce a rare type of liver tumour. Once confirmed, the industry behaved very transparently in acknowledging the problem and procedures were rapidly implemented to protect workers’ safety.
Today, manufacturing with VCM is highly regulated and carefully controlled to ensure employee safety.  There is no risk from VCM emissions to persons outside of PVC production plants.

To find out more about:

• How the PVC industry responded to protect its employees, once it was discovered that VCM was a carcinogen
• How exposure to VCM is controlled in PVC production plants today
• If there any exposure risk from VCM for people living close to PVC production plants
  
  

Go to:

• www.pvc.org