WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency will designate vinyl chloride a high-priority chemical for review. Vinyl chloride, largely used to make plastic, is known to cause serious harms, such as cancer, reduced immune function and neurological effects.
The following is a statement from Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group:
The recent disaster in East Palestine demonstrated there is no safe use for vinyl chloride, especially for fenceline communities. We are very pleased the EPA has designated vinyl chloride as a high priority chemical for review, and we urge the EPA to move swiftly to phase it out of the marketplace.
Everyone in the supply chain – from workers to consumers – is threatened by this chemical, and there is no safe way to dispose of it.
Once vinyl chloride is designated high risk by EPA, the agency will evaluate its risks by considering harms to people and the environment. That process can take up to three and a half years, and then the EPA can propose to phase out vinyl chloride.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Visit www.ewg.org for more information.
