Is your drinking water safe?
The EPA's designation of vinyl chloride as a high-priority substance highlights critical concerns about the safety of PVC pipes in your water systems, so what can you do about it?
What is Vinyl Chloride?
Vinyl Chloride
Classified by the World Health Organization as a human carcinogen, vinyl chloride has long been known to be associated with severe health and environmental hazards.
EPA Review
In an important step of public health and environmental safety, the EPA has designated vinyl chloride as a high-priority substance.
Residents
Residents
Help ensure your city and water utility are making smart decisions about the health and safety of your drinking water.
Make sure your city is making informed decisions about the health and safety of your city’s water infrastructure.
The U.S. EPA's review of vinyl chloride highlights critical and growing concerns about the safety of PVC pipes in throughout drinking water systems in the nation. Now is the time to act: tell your elected leaders that we need fewer chemicals in our drinking water, especially chemicals that hold such dangers as vinyl chloride.
What is vinyl chloride used to make?
Vinyl chloride is a chemical that is the primary ingredient in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a hard plastic resin used to make a variety of plastic products, including drinking water pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
Health Concerns
Vinyl chloride has been a health concern since 1974 when the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned its use in aerosols. Research has shown that exposure to vinyl chloride can lead to serious health concerns. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. EEPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all classified vinyl chloride as a human carcinogen.
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer categorizes vinyl chloride as a group 1 agent, meaning it is "carcinogenic to humans." Group 1 agents are defined as having sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and experimental animals.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, vinyl chloride can irritate the eyes, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract. Escaping compressed gas or liquid can cause frostbite or irritation of the skin and eyes.
Chronic exposure can cause permanent liver injury and liver cancer, neurologic or behavioral symptoms, and changes to the skin and bones of the hand.
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=278&toxid=51
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=278&toxid=51
Additionally, technologies to minimize PVC microparticle emissions, especially at recycling facilities and landfills, should be implemented and improved.
The release of PVC microparticles contributes to plastic pollution and contains harmful additives. Therefore, minimizing their release would reduce emissions of these additives.
https://echa.europa.eu/
The release of PVC microparticles contributes to plastic pollution and contains harmful additives. Therefore, minimizing their release would reduce emissions of these additives.
https://echa.europa.eu/
Comprehensive Toxicology
According to the 2018 Edition of Comprehensive Toxicology, vinyl chloride is an industrial monomer predominantly used in polyvinyl chloride production. It is also present in tobacco smoke and found in numerous Superfund sites due to microbial dechlorination of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/referencework/9780081006016/comprehensive-toxicology
https://www.sciencedirect.com/referencework/9780081006016/comprehensive-toxicology
Environmental Concerns
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a draft toxicological profile for vinyl chloride, highlighting its extensive use in the plastics industry and its potential to leach into groundwater from various sources.
Risk of inhalation vinyl chloride.
Previous Restrictions
In the 1970s, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and EPA officials raised serious concerns about the health impacts of vinyl chloride, leading to the passage of the “original” TSCA in 1976. Since 1974, the EPA has taken significant steps to ban the use of vinyl chloride in various products due to its potential health and environmental risks. Vinyl chloride is banned in the following uses:
Aerosol Spray Propellants
PVC Food Packaging
Consumer Products
These bans and restrictions aim to reduce exposure to vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen, and to protect public health and the environment.
As a resident, what should you do to ensure your city and water utility are making smart decisions about the health and safety of your drinking water?
First, reach out to your utility to see if PVC pipes are used in your cities water infrastructure.
If your water utility uses PVC pipes, you should express your concerns, ask what their plans are to stop the use of them and if there are plans to remove the pipes.
Reach out to your Mayor and City Council to express your concerns about the use of PVC pipes in your drinking water system.
First, reach out to your utility to see if PVC pipes are used in your cities water infrastructure.
If your water utility uses PVC pipes, you should express your concerns, ask what their plans are to stop the use of them and if there are plans to remove the pipes.
Reach out to your Mayor and City Council to express your concerns about the use of PVC pipes in your drinking water system.
Stay informed to protect your community.
By staying informed about the U.S. EPA's review of vinyl chloride, you can better understand the potential risks associated with this chemical. Your proactive engagement in this issue can help ensure the well-being of your constituents and the environment.
Stay Informed
For updates on the ongoing EPA review of vinyl chloride, its impact on water utilities and what you can do to ensure safe drinking water in your community, subscribe to our mailing list.
Need more information?
DIPRA’s regional engineers are here to provide support and resources for making informed decisions and ensuring safe drinking water for your communities.
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