News
EPA Begins a Review Process That Could Bring an End to Toxic, Flammable Vinyl Chloride
Environmentalists were heartened by the agency’s move after the chemical burned in a train derailment in February in East Palestine, Ohio. The Vinyl Institute expressed confidence that the review would show “the production of vinyl chloride and use of PVC products are safe.”
By Kiley Bense
The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday that vinyl chloride would be among five chemicals to begin the process for risk evaluation prioritization under the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA, an early step toward potentially banning the chemical.
Related Knowledge Center: Methane
State of Play
As the production of natural gas from shale fields has expanded, so have methane emissions. U.S. methane emissions grew 27 percent from 1990 to 2009, according to the Energy Information Administration. Methane contributes about 10 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and is 25 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.