Document 49e2pX4xJLaeO4ZOeELjqz5j

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION January 25, 1982 Miss Christy Habermehl Augusta High School Third and Bracken Streets Augusta, Kentucky 41002 Dear Miss Habermehl, Your letter concerning a proposed science fair project on the effect of vinyl chloride in rats reached me today. This sounds like a very ambitious project but there are a few things about this chemical that I think you should know. Laboratory studies with rats have shown that both liver and brain cancer can be related to exposure to the chemical. Vinyl Chloride is a gas at room temperature and the animal research was done by exposing the rats to the gas in specially designed inhalation chambers. Vinyl chloride also causes cancer (liver angiosarcoma) in humans. For this reason, the chemical is handled very carefully in the workplace. At present, workers are not allowed to be exposed to more than one part vinyl chloride per million parts of air over an eight hour'period. In summary, vinyl chloride is a very dangerous chemi cal if not handled properly and I strongly suggest that your class seek an alternative to this particular project. Good luck with your science fair. Sincerely Carol R. Stack, Ph.D. Administrator Vinyl Chloride Program CRS/sh CMA 100629 Forrnerly Manufacturing Chemists Association --Serving the Chemical Industry Since 1872 2501 M Street NW Washington DC 20037 Teleoiore 2C2 337-1 100 Telex 89617 'CMA WSHi