Tell EPA: Ban Toxic Vinyl Chloride

Mar 9

Written By Eve Fox

*A man takes photos as a black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern train, Feb. 6, 2023. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar.*

Five of the train cars that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3, 2023, were carrying vinyl chloride which is a known human carcinogen. Vinyl chloride is used almost exclusively to make polyvinyl chloride plastic (commonly called PVC) which is hazardous to produce and dispose of.

Vinyl chloride is manufactured in low-income communities and communities of color in Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky, where it threatens the health of local residents. The PVC plastic made from vinyl chloride is used to make everything from the iconic rubber ducky and other children's toys to pipes, floor coverings, shower curtains, raincoats, and vinyl siding. Fortunately, there are safer alternatives to PVC.

It's time for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban vinyl chloride. Please join us in urging the EPA to take the critical first step in banning this toxic chemical before any more harm is done to communities like East Palestine, Ohio. Fill out the form below to add your name to the petition to Assistant Administrator Freedhoff. If you have any difficulty accessing the petition form below, please click here to add your name.

We urge you to take the first step in the process required under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to ban vinyl chloride and propose prioritizing this toxic material for risk evaluation immediately.
Vinyl chloride, the building block of PVC plastic, is a known human carcinogen. Burning vinyl chloride may create and release dioxins. These persistent organic pollutants can cause cancer and disrupt the hormonal, reproductive, developmental, and immune systems.
Vinyl chloride is also often produced in low-income communities and communities of color — a clear violation of environmental justice.
in 1974, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned its use as an aerosol in consumer products, and the Food and Drug Administration banned its use in cosmetics.
We do not want to see another East Palestine toxic train disaster occur. It is within your authority to act and we are counting on you to protect public health and the environment.
Thank you.

MORE INFORMATION

The vinyl chloride carried in five of the train cars that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio is a very toxic chemical used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. You can get more information in Beyond Plastics’ fact sheet and the news articles below.