"Nationwide, vinyl chloride pollution far surpasses the effects of the East Palestine train derailment."
"Vinyl chloride, the cancer-causing chemical released in the February train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, contaminates many communities in the U.S. due to pollution from plastics manufacturing plants, according to a new report.
The report, published this month by environmental advocacy group Toxic-Free Future and data company Material Research, found that vinyl chloride particularly threatens communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities. “This is a major issue of equity and environmental injustice,” Mike Schade, director of Mind the Store, a program of Toxic-Free Future, told Environmental Health News (EHN).
Vinyl chloride is used in the production of a commonly used plastic, polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. The chemical is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a carcinogen, and has been linked to higher rates of lung and liver cancer, as well as liver disease, neurological problems and miscarriage."
Grace van Deelen reports for Environmental Health News May 1, 2023.
