Vinyl+chloride


 * //__Vinyl Chloride __//**

Chemical Formula: C 2 H 3 Cl

__//**What is vinyl chloride?**//__ Vinyl chloride is a fammable coloursless gas with a mild, sweet odour. It is a manufactured product, meaning it does not occur naturally. It also burns very easily and is not stable at high temperatures. Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.

**__//What are the uses of vinyl chloride?//__ ** Vinyl choride is mainly used to make PVC (polyvinyl chloride).PVC is used in many industries, such as glass, furniture, building construction, automobile and plastic. Specific products would be pipes,wire and cable coating. There are also smaller amounts to vinyl chloride found in furniture,automobile upholstery,wall coverings,rubber, paper ,tobacco smoke and automotive parts.

__**//Where is vinyl chloride commonly found? //**__ Vinyl chloride is found in contaminated wells, plastic industries, hazardous waste sites, landfills, and in the air around these areas.

__//**How are people exposed to vinyl chloride? **//__ People are exposed to vinyl chloride in three main ways, breathing, touching and eating or drinking. When a water supply is contaminated, and is used for cooking, showering or laundry the vinyl chloride is exposed into the air. Eating or drinking with the contaminated water is causing you to be exposed to the vinyl chloride as well. Absorbing vinyl chloride through the skin is very minor, yet is still a hazard when people bathe in contaminated water or touch contaminated soil.

__//**What are the health hazards of vinyl chloride?**//__ Vinyl chloride has short term and long term effects. If you are breathing in vinyl chloride, some short term effects would be dizziness and sleepiness. If the level of vinyl chloride is high enough you could even become unconscious. Long term effects would be nerve damage, immune reactions,gastrointestinal bleeding, decrease in bone strength, and has even been known to cause cancer. If vinyl chloride comes in contact with the skin it becomes numb, increase in redness and blisters.

__//**Steps to limit your exposure to vinyl chloride. **//__
 * check well water for contamintation
 * avoid being near hazardous waste sites, plastic industries and landfills
 * avoid exposure to cigarette smoke [[image:Newspaper_91.jpg width="240" height="162" align="right"]]