More than 10 months after a train carrying vinyl chloride derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Dec. 14 the chemical will be among five new materials the agency plans to prioritize in its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation.
In addition to vinyl chloride, the EPA plans to evaluate acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine and 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline).
The purpose of prioritization is to designate a chemical substance as either high priority for further risk evaluation or low priority, which would not require immediate risk evaluation under TSCA.
If, during the 12-month long statutory process, the EPA designates these five chemicals as high-priority substances, the agency will then begin the risk-evaluation process. Environmental safety advocates lauded the move, saying vinyl chloride poses a serious threat to human health. Among the supporters of the EPA action was a representative from East Palestine.
“We have seen firsthand what vinyl chloride can do to a community,” said Hilary Flint, vice president of Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment and director of communications and community engagement for Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community. “This is a step in the right direction and we will continue to fight for a total vinyl chloride ban. We want to make sure what happened after the East Palestine train derailment is the last vinyl chloride disaster in the United States.”
Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and former EPA regional administrator, said vinyl chloride, which is used to make polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, plastic, poses significant health and environmental problems that have been known for decades.
“This is one of the most important chemical review processes ever undertaken by the EPA. I applaud the EPA for launching this review,” she said in an EPA news release.
The Vinyl Institute, a trade organization representing the vinyl industry, issued a statement in support of the process, saying when completed the review will clarify misunderstandings about the regulation of vinyl chloride manufacturing and the safety of PVC products.
“There is an extensive body of research and data about vinyl chloride that will support the prioritization and risk evaluation process, stated Ned Monroe, president and CEO of the Vinyl Institute. “This is an opportunity to correct any misunderstanding about the regulation of vinyl chloride manufacturing and the safety of PVC products. We believe this risk evaluation will further assure that the production of vinyl chloride and use of PVC products are safe. Manufacturers of vinyl chloride adhere to some of the most stringent safety and environmental regulations in the chemical industry.”
Monroe further stated that the greatest potential for vinyl chloride exposure occurs in the manufacturing process and that a closed-loop technology implemented in the 1970s along with federal regulations already protect workers and the public.
Other Chemicals Under Consideration
The four remaining substances the EPA plans to review are all probable human carcinogen.
Acetaldehyde is primarily used in the manufacturing and processing of adhesives, petrochemicals, and other chemicals, as well as intermediates for products like packaging and construction materials. Exposure to acetaldehyde may result in a range of health effects such as irritation of the respiratory system, the EPA stated.
Acrylonitrile is primarily used in the manufacturing and processing of plastic materials, paints, petrochemicals and other chemicals. Exposure to acrylonitrile may result in a range of health effects such as irritation of the respiratory system, according to the EPA.
Benzenamine is used in the manufacturing and processing of dyes and pigments, petrochemicals, plastics, resins and other chemicals. Exposure to benzenamine may result in a range of health effects such as adverse effects on the blood, fetal development, and reproduction, the EPA stated.
4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline), or MBOCA, is used in the manufacturing and processing of rubbers, plastics, resins and other chemicals. There is also extensive data that demonstrate exposure to MBOCA may damage genetic material in cells, potentially leading to other adverse health effects, particularly when exposure occurs to infants and children, the EPA said.
The EPA selected all five chemicals from the 2014 TSCA Work Plan, which is a list of chemicals identified by EPA for further assessment based on their hazards and potential for exposure. The agency will accept public comments on these chemicals for 90 days after publication.
