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EU Directives 78/142/EEC & 80/766/EEC – Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)

Vinyl chloride monomer has been shown to cause liver, brain, and lung cancer, as well as lymphatic and haematopoietic malignancies (such as lymphoma and leukaemia) in multiple epidemiological studies.

Cosmetics

Monomer vinyl chloride is also prohibited for use in cosmetic articles.

Materials that come into contact with foodstuffs

The use of vinyl chloride monomer in materials that come into contact with foodstuffs is restricted (Directive 78/142/EC). Materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs must not contain vinyl chloride monomer in a quantity exceeding 1 mg/kg of finished product and must not pass on to foodstuffs more than 0,01 mg/kg of vinyl chloride monomer.

Aerosol propellant

Directive 76/769/EEC prohibits the use of chloro-1-ethylene (monomer vinyl chloride) as an aerosol propellant for any use whatsoever.

Information on VCM

Vinyl chloride monomer is the parent compound of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a plastic resin used in innumerable consumer and industrial products. Vinyl chloride monomer is also used as a copolymer in various resins used in plastic food wrap. Though most vinyl chloride monomer is used industrially to make polyvinyl chloride products, historically vinyl chloride monomer was used as a component of aerosol propellants for women's hair spray, for aerosolised pesticides, and for some medical applications.

The use of this substance as a propellant involves dangers to human health. Vinyl chloride monomer has been shown to cause liver, brain, and lung cancer, as well as lymphatic and haematopoietic malignancies (such as lymphoma and leukaemia) in multiple epidemiological studies. The European Commission decided therefore that the use of vinyl chloride monomer as aerosol propellant should be prohibited.