Re: Vinyl Chloride Odor

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

   Bill (and the list)
  
       I was quoting from the book "Toxics A to Z, A Guide To Everyday
  Pollution Hazards, by John Harte, Cheryl Holdren,
  Richard Schneider, and Christine Shirley, published in
  1991 by University of California Press. John Harte is a
  professor in the Energy and Resources Group at UCal
  Berkeley.
  
     I'll quote from the article on vinyl chloride directly:
  
  "Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a characteristic
  "plastic" odor. It is about twice as heavy as air, so that
  when the gas is released into the atmosphere, it tends to
  sink..."
  
  "Vinyl chloride is widely distributed throughout the
  industrialized world. The highest outdoor concentrations
  are usually found near vinyl chloride manufacturing
  plants and near industrial sites that work with PVC
  plastics. Residents of the Houston, TX area are the most
  likely group to be exposed as a result of industrial activity
  because 40% of U.S. production capacity is located
  in that area..."
  
  "Vinyl chloride can also be found in some municipal
  drinking waters and in a variety of foods and beverages,
  including alcoholic drinks, vinegar, oil, butter, and mineral
  waters. The source for this vinyl chloride contamination
  is believed to be PVC pipes and plastic packaging.
  Other sources of vinyl chloride exposure include new
  automobile interiors, tobacco products...Occupational
  exposure is likely anywhere vinyl chloride or PVC plastics
  are made or used during a manufacturing process.
  
  Health Effects
  
  "Vinyl chloride can cause cancer in people following
  both inhalation and ingestion. It is known to cause
  liver, brain, and central nervous system cancers in
  people, and it may cause human lung cancer, leukemia,
  and lymphoma...."
  
  "....liver damage...bone loss...circulatory changes...
  etc, etc."
  
  Protection and Prevention
  
  "...Ventilate new cars well before sitting in them. Do this
  by opening the doors for a few minutes after the car has
  been sitting in the sun or leaving the windows partially
  open while driving until that "new car smell" is no
  longer noticeable"
  
  Bill, I was quite serious about your chosen profession.
  When you work for people that pollute, your objectivity
  becomes compromised. You will have to be the judge
  of whether that has happened to you. I think you know
  our opinions about this. This extends not only to
  the the current discussion but also to the discussion
  about lead (in which you talked about domestic sources,
  knowing full well, as Charlie Cray pointed out,
  that most children's toys and other items are
  Chinese.
  
  Do you have proof that the odor of new PVC is not
  VC monomer? Have you smelled VC monomer and
  can tell me that the odor I identify with
  new PVC is not VC monomer? Any idea why, if
  what you say is true, that Toxics A to Z would
  make the statements listed above? Are they
  just "uninformed" like you have said I am?
  
  -----Original Message-----
  From: DrBillC@aol.com <DrBillC@aol.com>
  To: jon@cqs.com <jon@cqs.com>; dioxin-l@essential.org
  <dioxin-l@essential.org>; DrBillC@aol.com <DrBillC@aol.com>
  Date: Thursday, November 13, 1997 4:37 PM
  Subject: Vinyl chloride odor
  
  
  
  >Jon, and the list:
  >
  >I sent these postings privately to Jon because he is incorrect to assume
  that
  >the odor of plasticized PVC is vinyl chloride, and out of respect for him I
  >did not want to conduct that discussion in public.  Clearly, this is now a
  >public discussion.
  >
  >Monitoring done in processing facilities--like those making window
  >shades--shows vinyl chloride is always well below the OSHA action level
  (0.5
  >ppm), and usually is non detect at low ppb levels.  You can't smell vinyl
  >chloride in a processing plant, never mind at home or in your car.
  >
  >Therefore, I ask the list.  Who has data that shows that Jon is correct
  that
  >a new windowshade in your home outgasses VCM to the extent that the odor is
  >detectable--never mind strong?
  >
  >I've tried to be civil and helpful to people on this list, even if we
  usually
  >don't agree.  If no one, including Jon, can produce this data, then I hope
  >Jon will consider an apology to me for an unnecessary personal attack.
  >
  >Bill Carroll
  >Chlorine Chemistry Council
  >
  >