Document dndD7mzJmVRRzpG4y8394bbxe

INDUSTRIES Distribution INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE Date: August 27, 19 7 3 Frorrv Harry Hyman Lontion: 3-North Subject: VCM Bulletin Please review the attached revisions of Vinyl Chloride Bulletin 115A and the cover letter I wrote in Zeb's name. You're welcome to return the attached to me or bring them to the next meeting. Let me know if you cannot attend a meeting Wednesday, September 5, 1973, at 10 A.M. Harry Hyman HH/mon Distribution: Z. G. Bell L . B. Grant, M.D. G . J. Lazarchik J . L. MacMillan R. C. Packard ^ L. F. Sargert R. E. Sourwine R. E. Stack FORM 503.a REV 6*1-70 AUG 2 71973 V;V DuhAf?I":'..;? SL 092092 INDUSTRIE & PPG INDUSTRIES, INC. / ONE GATEWAY CENTER / PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15222 September 15, 1973 The toxicity section of Vinyl Chloride Bulletin 115A, attached, contains later recommendations than appear in the manual, "Vinyl Chloride Mono mer Handling and Properties," form A-994-115, also attached, which was published in May, 1973. Although the threshold limit value (TLV) of 200 ppm, which appears on page 7 of the manual, agrees with the latest recommendation of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, PPG Industries now recommends a value of 50 ppm until ongoing toxicological studies are concluded. Dr; Z. G. Bell Director, Environmental Control Chemical Division SL 092093 In keeping with its position as a lead ing producer of vinyl chloride monomer tor the merchant market only, PPG In dustries expanded its Lake Charles, I ouisiana, vinyl chloride plant in 1969. The Guayanilla, Puerto Rico plant, built in 1971, greatly increased PPG's capacity for making vinyl chloride monomer. A new large tanker, the S.S. Puerto Rican, transports refrigerated vinyl chloride monomer to a newly built ter minal at Paulshoro, New Jersey, where it is stored under refrigeration. At the PPG plant in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, the company's modern 34,000-ton chemical tarker, S.S. Puerto Rican, receives a load of vinyl chlonde monomer. PPG produces v myl chloride monomer by the oxychlorination of ethylene and holds more than TOO domestic and for eign patents on this process. Uninhibited VCM is quite stable and can be routinely shipped, handled and stored provided proper procedures, out lined below, are followed. To prevent polymerization in transit or storage, it is essential that the monomer be protected at all times from contact with air. oxy gen, moisture, catalytic impurities, and light. PPCi normally supplies VCM unin hibited. The use ol uninhibited VCM eliminates the need for subsequent pro cessing to remove the inhibitor. If re quired. suitable inhibitors will be added. 'GRADES PPG Industries produces polymer- grade vinyl chloride monomer. USES Most vinyl chloride is polymerized to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or copolvmerized with other monomers such as PPG's vinylidene chloride.^-- PROPERTIES Chemical Names: Vinyl chloride; vinyl chloride monomer; chloroethylene; chloroethene PL Chemical f ormula: CHiCHCl; C=C Molecular Weight: 62.5 H-" X'l Dcscnption: At ordinary temperatures and pressures, vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor. But as supplied in tank cars and trucks under pressure, it is a liquid. Vinyl chlonde is highly volatile and its vapor is extremely flam mable. Boiling Point. C -13.8 Autoignition Temperature, C 472 JF +7.0 F 882 Freezing Point, C -153.7 Liquid Density at 60 F 0.9192 T -245 Vapor Density, air =1 2.15 Flash Point, open cup, C -78 Vapor Pressure, psia at 0C 25.1 F -108.4 20 C 49.2 40 C 87.6 F.xnlosive Limits, volume Cf Solubility, water in monomer, in air at 25C'(77cF) 3.6 to 31 at 25C (77 F), weight % 0.11 At the Pauisbcro, New ..ersey teiminal, the S S, PutT'o Rican s load of vinyl .'hlnr.ae monomer is trjnsf?-r,=d to the refrigera'ed slot age tanks in the ground Solubility Vinyl chloride is relatively insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents. Heiictivin: Vinyl chloride polymerizes exothermically in the presence of light. ,ur, oxygen or catalysts. Heat alone will not initiate polymerization. Vinyl chlo ride >. tncimally stable to quite high temperatures. Although peroxide lormatton due to air exposure is a slow reaction, certain peroxide products arc shocksensitive Vinyl ehioride is noncorrosive to metuis when dry at normal tempera tures. mo watei .old elevated temperatures accelerate corrosion. The doablebond oehaves as m other unsaturated compounds. The chlorine atom is relative ly inactive and is more stable than in saturated or allylic compounds. SL 092094 oqe'.'iin .-ifioji for poivnii-r qrade: Appear rice C oior Acidity, as KC1, masurium ppm Iron, as Fe, maximum ppm Nonvolatile residue, maximum weight Water, maximum ppm Suitor, as SO;, maximum ppm Acetaldehyde, maximum ppm Acetylene, maximum* ppm dear, free of susn-nded ma*ter colorless, wa'er-wrote 5 0.5 0.05 100 3 `This maximum is an industry standard; however, the PPG product contains no detectable amount of acctvlene. - TOXICITY Fire hazard Uninhibited monomer is not absorbed Vmy 1 chloride vapoi is extremely flam ' through the skin, hut the liquid may mable. Its explosive limits are between cause fiostbite because it evaporates so .3 6 and 33G by volume in ait. Pioper fast. If an inhibitor is included, it may ventilation and the elimination of igni .(cause local skin burns. _ . tion sources tire mandatory in aieas TmVapor concentrations in work areas where vapor concentrations may reach a should m>c__exceed 200 ppm a time- flammable level. When a tank car is un weighted average atmospheric concen loaded. both the ear tank and the un tration tor an 8-houriJay to-avoid adverse loading pump should be electrically effects on vypefcfnen. High vapo? concen grounded. trations'can cause dizziness and anes^ The major products of combustion in jhesia.TTTofe inlofmaTTon appears" m clude toxic and corrosive hydrogen ;Chemical Safety Data Sheet SD-56, chloride as well as carbon monoxide, j"Vinyl Chloride." published by the and less than 10 pprn of phosgene. Only , Manufacturing Chemists Association, in the very near vicinity ot a vinyl chlo 1825 Connecticut Avenue. Y\V,. Wash ride monomer fire could detectable ington, D.C. 20009. amounts ot phosgene be present. / ---------- ---------------------------------- HANDLING AND STORAGE Aluminum and its alloys must not be used in equipment to store or handle vinyl chloride because explosive alumi num chioroalkyls can be formed. PPG's viny l chloride is made from ethylene and contains no detectable amount of acety lene. Vinyl chloride made from acetylene by an older process contains traces of acetylene that could react explosively with copper or its alloys to form copper acetylides. It is not safe to use such vinyl chloride in processing equipment con taining copper or brass. Exposure ot vinyl chloride to oxygen and air results, after a time, in polymer Carbon dioxide or dry chemical agents extinguish small fires effectively, but no extinguisher is known tor large fires. Streams of water cannot extin guish a liquid vinyl chloride fire because the monomer does not mix with water and will lloat on top. Water may be sprayed to cool equipment. If the source of the vinyl chloride monomer leak has not been closed off. do not attempt to extinguish a large fire because hot metal can re-ignite an unburned vapor cloud. No one without proper protective respiratory equipment should enter an area where there has been a fire until the area has been adequately ventilated. formation. This can cause problems in Unloading tank cars equipment used tor storage and transfer If tank car valves are defective or of monomer. Vinyl chloride should be leaky, do not unload. Telephone the PPG stored under a blanket of nitrogen with a Chemicals plant at Take Charles. Louisi , maximum oxygen content of 10 ppm. ana, 318-882-1200. Information on un 7 111 ' ' llf ; PPG manual. `\ \ C ii:iu uicX!mu - met ll.rdlmg mid P-opeitics. lorm \444/ ,i. " Earning: Air should ntutr be permit ted to enter vinyl chloride tank cars or other containers during or after unload ing. f lose and sea! all openings. I.ease at least II) psig of vinyl chloride vapor pressure in empty rank car being re turned. PACKAGING AND SHIPPING PPG Industries delivers vinyl shloi.de hv ship, barge, tank car and tank truck. There arc 3 shipping points. 1 ake Charles, Louisiana; Guayanilla. Puerto Rico; and Paulsboro, New Jersey. PPG maintains a ITeet of tank cars toi vinvl chloiide service. All cars .re equipped tor top unloading. There arethree car sizes. 100.000-pound. 180,00bpound and 220,000-pound net weight Tank trucks hold up to 40.000 pounds. Ships and barges hold up to sevcial million pounds. SAMPLES AND SERVICE Samples of vinyl chloride are available on special request in returnable laboratorv-size steel cylinders holding 5 pounds or in cylinders holding 200 pounds. The technical service staff of PPG In dustries Chemical Division is available lor consulting on handling, storage and use. III?:, Qtte Gateway Center *- 3. ': 15222-4^ i'ACthe witfftffiiii aUOif* may Witozs?5ous in nftufi be h^,dietf >i.tUTay.^;, Reaa the "-- ^anti c<myiifV*y+rth '.-elf tF#. '^<l ^AU.3o*f^.n.sns.. AAlltthhoouugghh those rtidterials are not intendedfor houiehpfd. as pqrerTltaHy- haiardous materials, rn.uit be kept opt of1" l; IvtWfVw**! qfxttikirert. ;;a/ A-1000R 1M ^73 C. - - L* / SL 092095 Printed m U 5 A High vapor concentrations can cause dizziness and anesthesia. Continuing studies are being made on other possible health hazards due to vapor concentrations. In the meantime, PPG recommends that vapor concentrations in work areas should not exceed 50 ppm as a time-weighted average atmospheric concentration for an 8-hour day to avoid adverse effects on workmen. During periods of high vapor concentration, self-contained or air-supplied breathing apparatus should be used. More toxicity information appears on page 7 of the PPG manual, "Vinyl Chloride Monomer Handling and Properties," form A-994-115. SL 092096