Document qa4BZ71X26deJ7aJEzJj49Zrj

Issue Date: January 1985 ilFGoodrich ABOUT THIS BULLETIN The data in this bulletin apply to all Geon vinyl com pounds except polyblends (blend of polyvinyl chloride and nitrile rubber). Geon vinyl compounds are mixturesof thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride resin, which is a white granular powder, and functional additives such as processing aid, heat stabilizer, plasticizer, lubricant, impact modifier, pigment and/or other ingredients. Compound may be prepared as either granules (i.e., pellets of varying size and shape) or free-flowing powders. Although they may vary in terms of physical properties or other characteristics, safety and handling precau tions are similar for all compounds. Please note: Pellet compound does not represent any inhalation hazard becauseof its physical form. However, fine particle size additives in powder compound may result in airborne dust. Respiratory protection against nuisance dust may be necessary when handling powder compound. The data in this bulletin does not include any informa tion on the suitability of vinyl for any particular applicationnordoes it discuss any precautions that may apply to specif ic end products. Moreover, this bulletin cannot coverall possible situations which the user may expe rience during processing. Each aspect of your opera tion should be examined to determine if, or where, additional precautions may be necessary. All health and safety information contained in this bulletin should be provided to your employees or customers. We must rely on you to use this information to develop appropriate work practice guidelines and employee instructional programs for your operation. For information pertinent to resin, please read BFGoodrich Bulletin G-62 RES, "Material Safety Data, Geon Vinyl Resin,'' Also, a separate safety data bul letin is available forGeonvinyl polyblend compounds. SPECIAL NOTE: Vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) arenot the same material. Vinyl chloride is a flam mable gas that is strictly regulated by DOT, EPA and OSHA. Through a chemical reaction, this gas - known as a monomer - is converted to a non-hazardous white granular powdercalled polyvinyl chloride resin, PVC, or simply, vinyl. It is this vinyl resin that is then combined with functional additives to make compound. Vinyl resin is not a cancer suspect agent. Moreover, the reac tion is not reversible. That is, thermal processing or decomposition will not cause polyvinyl chloride to revert back to vinyl chloride monomer. (See Section II and Appendix 1.) SECTION i cixi A* Manufacturer's Name The BFGoodrich Company, Chemical Group Address 6100 Oak Tree Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44131 Telephone Number (216)447-6000 Trademark Geon Vinyl Chemical Name/Synonyms Poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, vinyl. Formula Vinyl resin* plus functional additives. *(CH2CHCI),, Chemical Family Vinyl resin: chloroethene polymer cas Registry Number Not applicable to compounds. Transportation Emergency Telephone CHEMTREC: (800) 424-9300 Virtually all Geon vinyl compounds are manufac tured with homopolymer polyvinyl chloride resin (CAS Registry Number: 9002-86-2). We do market a limited number of compounds based upon vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer resin. Specific grades of Geon vinyl compounds comply with applicable provisions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations governing food contact (21CFR). Please consult product literature for details. Geonvinyl resinandthe functional additives used to manufacture compound are included in the Toxic Substances Control Act, Inventory of Chemical Substances, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. BFG50381 SECTION II HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS Vinyl resin contains a very small amount of residual vinyl chloride monomer (CAS Registry Number: 75-01-4). Extensive product and process improve ments have resulted in the reduction of residual monomertoaveragelevelslessthanl-5 parts per mil lion (ppm) in the vinyl resins used to manufacture compound. Today, there is virtually no employee exposure to vinyl chloride monomer above the OSH A action level of 0.5 ppm when handling or processing Geon vinyl compound. Please read Appendix 1 for workplace exposure limits. The sum total of ingredients present in virtually any thermoplastic compound will emit vapors and odors during processing. The visible fumes that occur during normal processing of vinyl compound are mainly water vapor. Trace amounts of hydrogen chloride, an irritant, are possible if there is any hangup or stagnation of compound in processing equipment. Vapors from non-PVC components are principally trace amounts of volatiles from stabili zers, plasticizers, lubricants, etc. Some people may be sensitive to fumes or odors from these additives. The primary effect is irritation to the eyes, respiratory tract or skin. To protect your employees' health, con duct any operation emitting fumes or vapors under well-ventilated conditions. Functional additives mixed with vinyl resin to create compounds may include: - Stabilizer generally in amounts less than 5% by weight. These may include organometallics such as tin, lead, cadmium, barium and zinc and metal lic salts such as basic lead carbonate and basic lead sulfate. - Polymeric, monomericormixedesterplasticizer in amounts generally between 20-50% by weight in plasticized compound (also known as flexible compound). Plasticizers are volatile when heated, and they will contribute to the sum total of the vapors released during processing. - Commercially available pigments based on iron oxide, carbon black, chromium, ultramarines, titanium dioxide, cadmiums, phthalocyanines, molybdates, lead, quinacridones and other organic or inorganic materials. In pellet compound, additives are bound-up in the manufacturing process and are not expected to create any hazard when handled or processed in accordance with good manufacturing and industrial hygiene practices and by following the guidelines presented in this bulletin. With powder compound, respiratory protection against nuisance dust may be required. Please read Appendix 2 and 3 for more information about additives and hazardous substances. SECTION III PHYSICAL DATA (Typical data, not specifications) Solubility in Water - Slight Specific Gravity (H20 = 1) - Range: 1.35-1.55 Appearance and Odor Pigmented or unpigmented pellets or powder. Practically odorless or bland odor. The appearance of pellet compound will vary from cubical granules measuring approximately 3/i6-inch per side to spheres to wafers depending upon manufacturing method. Other Characteristics such as vapor pressure, vapor density, boiling point and evaporation rate are not applicable to solid materials such as vinyl compound. SECTION IV FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA Ignition Characteristics (ASTM D-1929) Rigid vinyl compound (i.e.t no plasticizer) has a flashignition temperature of about 391C(735F) and a self ignition temperature of about 454C (850F). Whenplasticizer is added, ignition temperatures decrease. At a 30% plasticizer content, the flash-ignition tem perature will be about 321C (610F) and the self ignition temperature will be about 435C (815F). By themselves, most vinyl compounds (i.e., rigid com pound and compound with less than about 35% plasti cizer) will not support combustion because they require a higher concentration of oxygen for burning than is present in the earth's atmosphere. Any vinyl compound can be forced to burn by continuous appli cation of intense heat. Like all combustible material, protect from open flame and maintain proper clear ance when using portable heat devices, etc. Store flammable liquids away from vinyl compound. Flash-Ignition Temperature: The lowest initial tem perature of air passing around the specimen at which sufficient combustible gas is evolved to be ignited by a small external pilot flame. Self-Ignition Temperature: The lowest initial tem perature of air passing around the specimen at which, in the absence of an ignition source, ignition occurs of itself, as indicated by an explosion, flame or sustained glow. Extinguishing Media Water is most effective. ABC dry chemical, AFFFi and protein type air foams are also effective. Geon vinyls are "ordinary combustibles" (NFPA defined Class A). Carbon dioxide is not generally recommended for use on Class A fires asa lack of cooling capacity may result in reignition. Special Fire Fighting Procedure Wear positive pressure, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Personnel not having suitable respiratory protection must leave the area to prevent significant exposure to toxic combustion gases from any source. In enclosedor poorly ventilated areas, wear SCBAduring cleanup immediately aftera fire as well as during the attack phase of firefighting operations. Combustion Products When forced to burn, the primary combustion gases from vinyl compound will be hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Other gases will include small amounts of benzene and aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Plasticized compounds will also contribute aliphatic olefins. The combustion productsofvinyl, like thosefrom other natural and synthetic materials, must be considered toxic. Like wood, paper and cotton, the major hazard is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an asphyxiant while hydrogen chloride is an irritant. When vinyl is burned, it will have a detectable, pungent odor. Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards Hydrogen chloride has a corrosive effect on many metals. Affected equipment surfaces and unpro tected structural elements of buildings should be washed to remove corrosive deposits as soon as possible after depositions have occurred. Pellet compound does not represent any explosion risk because of its large particle size. Powder com pound may have dust explosion potential because of fine particle size fillers and additives orliquids added to vinyl resin. For plasticized powder compound, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports the following for a PVC/plasticizer mixture (i.e., 67% PVC/33% dioctyl phthalate):* Explosibility index: 2.9 (Strong) Ignition sensitivity: 3.6 (Strong) Explosion severity: 0.8 (Moderate) Ignition temp., dust cloud: 320C (608F) No adverse health effects are expected from proces sing vinyl compound when potential exposures are minimized by good industrial hygiene practice and adequate ventilation. Nevertheless, individual addi tives and/or various combinations of additives may affect the overall toxicological properties. Detailed studies have not been performed on each of the many possible additive combinations. At processing temperatures, additives may emit fumes and vapors that are irritating to the respiratory tract, eyes or skin of some sensitive people. This depends upon processing technique and temperature, volume processed and, most importantly, the effectiveness of exhaust ventilation provided to the process area. Inhalation of decomposition or combustion prod ucts, especially hydrogen chloride, will cause irritationof the respiratory tract, eyes and skin. Depending on the severity of exposure, physiological response will be coughing, pain and inflammation. Individuals with bronchial asthma and other types of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases may develop bronchspasm if exposure is prolonged. SPECIAL NOTE: Hydrogen chloride isdetectable by its sharp, pungent odor in concentrations as low as 1-5 ppm. Low concentrations (below 50 ppm) are not harm ful in short-term exposures but do provide excellent warning properties by causing coughing orjrritation. Because the protective response is so strong, humans rarely submit to damaging concentrations - instead, there is an unmistakable urge to leave the area. Repeated or prolonged exposure to high concentrationscan cause eye and respiratory damage. In studies sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration, no incapacitation, no impairment to escape and no signif icant post-exposure effects occurred in baboons exposed to hydrogen chloride up to 11,400 ppm (1.14%). OSHA has established a ceiling limit of 5 ppm for workplace exposure to hydrogen chloride. 'NFPA 654-1975, "Prevention of Oust Explosions in the Plastics Emergency and First Aid Procedure Industry." If irritation persists from exposure to processing Because of the wide variety of possible ingredient vapors or decomposition products, remove the >* >'4 combinations, operations using plasticized or unplasticized powder compound should be evalu affected individual from the area. Call a physician. Provide protection before allowing reentry. & ated on an individual basis. Implement precautions Dust Exposure to control or eliminate likely sources of ignition, Fine particle size additives in powder compound may such as static build-up. Maintain good housekeep result in airborne dust. Routine inhalation of dust of ing, notably, ventilation, to prevent accumulation of any kind should be avoided. Exercise care when dump o potentially explosive dust concentrations. Properly maintain and operate dust control devices. ing bags, sweeping, mixing or doing other tasks which can create dust. Where large amounts of any dust may occur, wear a respirator approved by NIOSH/MSHA to protect against nuisance dust. SECTION V HEALTH HAZARD DATA Threshold Limit Value None established Effects of Overexposure There are no significant health hazards from vinyl compound at-a/nbient temperature (see Dust Exposure). BFG50383 SECTION VI REACTIVITY Stability - Stable Hazardous Polymerization - Will not occur Hazardous Decomposition Products Hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of benzene and aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Plasticized compounds will also contribute aliphatic olefins. Incompatibility (materials to avoid) Avoid contact with acetal or acetal copolymers and with amine containing materials during processing. At processing conditions these materials are mutually destructive and involve rapid degradation. Thoroughly purge and mechanically clean processing equipment to avoid even trace quantities of these materials from coming in contact with each other. Prevent cross contamination of feedstocks. SECTION VII SPILL OR LEAK PROCEDURE Steps to be taken in case material is released or spilled Vacuum or sweep into a closed container for reuse or disposal. Waste Disposal Method Dispose of waste in a licensed landfill or by incinera tion in accordance with federal, state and local regula tions. For waste disposal purposes, Geon vinyl compounds are not defined or designated as hazard ous by current provisions of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA - 40CFR261). If incinerated, be aware that hydrogen chloride is generated. SECTION VIII SPECIAL PROTECTION INFORMATION Ventilation Provide effective exhaust ventilation to draw dust and/ or fumes away from workers to prevent routine inhala tion. Compounding, hot melt processing (extruding, molding, etc.), cutting or sawing, machining, regrind ing, heat welding, thermoforming, and other proces sing or post-processing operations involving heat sufficient to result in polymer breakdown should be examined to ensure adequate ventilation. Ventilation guidelines and techniques may be found in the following publications: - NIOSH Recommended Industrial Ventilation Guidelines: GPO #017-033-00136-7. Available from theSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 ($9.00 as of December 1984). - Industrial Ventilation, 18th Edition. Available from the American Conference of Governmental Indus trial Hygienists, 6500 Glenway Avenue, Bldg. D-5, Cincinnati, Ohio45211 ($15.00 as of December 1984). Respiratory Protection Not normally required. Abnormal conditions such as equipment malfunction or use of improper equipment or procedures, or hangup or stagnation of compound during processing maycausedecomposition. Employ ees involved in removing decomposing material should be provided with suitable air-supplied respira tors, such as NIOSH/MSHA-approved positive pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus. Protective Equipment Not normally required. Wear protective gloves when handling hot material during processing. Safety glasses are recommended for all industrial work places. SECTION IX SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS Normal Melt Processing. Virtually all thermoplastic materials will emit fumesand/orvapors when heated to processing temperatures. The concentration and com position of these vapors will depend upon variables such as the specific compound formulation and proc essing method and temperature. Always use vinyl compound under well-ventilated conditions and avoid continued or prolonged breathing of process vapors. For personal hygiene, wash thoroughly after proces sing compound, especially before eating, smoking or using toilet facilities. Do not store or consume food in processing areas. Do not use processing equipment to heat food. Cleanup following normal melt processing should be performed under well-ventilated conditions. Vinyl com pound may be held at process temperatures for a short time without significant thermal degradation. How ever, it should be recognized that exposure to either ele vated temperature or excessive heat history (time) will result in decomposition.* Equipment should not be shutdown forextended time periods with compound in it, or decomposition and possible corrosion of unpro tected metal may result. If dies and screwsare not to be cleaned manually, then compound should be purged from processing equipment prior to shutdown using special vinyl purge compound or a compatible thermo plastic such as general purpose ABS (do not use flameretarded or halogen-containing grades for this purpose). *The time and temperature required to initiate degradation will vary depending upon processing technique,degreeof compoundstabili zation and other factors. As a general rule-of-thumb, degradation begins to occur after about one hour at 177C (350F), about 10 minutes at 204*0 (400F) and within five minutes at 232C (450F). 26261mS BFG50384 SOOT9Z32 In case of power loss or other mishap, shut off the machine and dismantle the die assembly as soon as possible before degradation or decomposition begins. If decomposition begins (with gassing and "popping" sounds) before the die can be disassembled, danger ously high pressure may occur in the die system. In this event, shut off the machine, clearthe area of personnel and wait until decomposition stops. Thoroughly venti late the area. Remove and disassemble thedie system. These are guidelines only. Refer to technical service reports and bulletins {such as BFGoodrich Bulletin G-63, ``Injection Molding Guide, Rigid Geon Vinyls) and to equipment manufacturer's recommendations for further information. Regrinding scrap normally generates substantial heat. Cool regrind before placing it in containers. The excel lent insulating quality of vinyl will prevent heat in the center of a container from escaping, potentially result ing in slow thermal decompositionofthe material.This may not only render the product unsatisfactory for further processing but also result In fumes and vapors being released into the workplace atmosphere. Remove vinyl compound from walkways and floors to prevent slippery footing. Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning condensate from exhaust equipment or other surfaces. Sprinklered warehouse areas are recommended. Although most vinyl compound by itself will not sup port combustion, materials such as wooden pallets, cardboard boxes and other combustibles can provide sufficient fuel to cause vinyl to burn. SPECIAL NOTE: Compound at or above normal proc essing temperature must never be allowed to accumu late in thick masses, or it will begin to thermally decompose and to swell due to internal gassing. Gas sing may cause a large mass to explode if its outside surface is hardened. Molten waste should be collected as strands or flattened to 2-inches or less, and quenched in a drum of cold water provided for this pur pose. Decomposing materia! should be removed to a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. SECTION XI HAZARD CODES Hazard Code Key 4 = Extreme 3 = High 2 = Moderate 1 = Slight 0 = Insignificant NFPA704' HEALTH HAZARD FLAMMABILITY HAZARD REACTIVITY HAZARD MAXIMUM PERSONAL PROTECTION 0 1 0 * "Wear safety glasses. Wear gloves and/or dust respirator when needed. (1) National Fire Protection Association. (2) Hazardous Materials Identification System, National Paint and Coatings Association. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY As the conditions or methods of use are beyond our control, we do not assume any responsibility and expressly disclaim any liability forany use of th is mate rial. Information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate but all statements or suggestions are made without warranty, express or implied, regarding accuracy of the information, the hazards connected with the useof the material or the results to be obtained from the use thereof. Compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations remains the responsibility of the user. SECTION X TRANSPORTATION For domestic transportation purposes, vinyl com pounds are not classified as hazardous by the U.S. Department of Transportation under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 1983 Edition. DOT Proper Shipping Name: DOT Hazard Class: DOT Label: UN/NA Hazard No.: Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable BFG50385 APPENDIX 1 VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER (VCM) Employee exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (CAS Registry Number: 75-01-4), a carcinogen, is regulated by OSHA (29CFR1910.1017). The current regulation requires that no employee may be exposed to VCM concentrations greater than 1.0 ppm (parts per million by volume) averaged over any eight-hour period or 5.0 ppm averaged over any period not exceeding 15 min utes. The action level is 0.5 ppm averaged over any eight-hour work day. The regulation applies to the manufacture, packaging, repackaging, storage, handling or use of vinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride, but does not apply to the handling or use of fabricated products made of polyvinyl chloride. Typically, purchasers of vinyl compound for processing purposes must comply with the permissi ble exposure limits set by OSHA. Moreover, the regula tion requires a program of initial monitoring in each facility to determine if there is any employee exposure in excess of the action level without the use of respira tors. If monitoring does not find VCM above0.5 ppm, no further action is necessary. Refer to OSHA regulations (including 29CFR1910.1017) for complete details. SPECIAL NOTE: Vinyl Chloride Warning Labels on Compound Containers Monitoring of vinyl processing and fabricating plants and modeling studies show that the action level (0.5 ppm) cannot be exceeded when residual VCM is at or below 8.5 ppm in Geon vinyl compound. Shipping containers for these compounds are not labeled by BFGoodrich unless a customer specifies otherwise. Vinyl compound will be labeled if residual monomer exceeds 8.5 ppm. The OSHA regulation requires that the label says "Polyvinyl chloride contains vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is a cancer suspect agent." Polyvinyl chloride is not a cancer suspect agent. It is the trace amount of unreacted vinyl chloride monomer that must be controlled, not the vinyl itself. Although some containers may be labeled, this does not necessarily mean that employee exposure to VCM will exceed permissible exposure limits. Using "worst case" conditions of thermal processing, our studies show that more than 30 ppm of unreacted monomer in vinyl resin is needed to cause 0.5 ppm to be present in the atmosphere of a hot, poorly ventilated workplace. For further information, please read BFGoodrich Technical Service Bulletin No. 12, "Vinyl Studies." Good ventilation in those areas where VCM might con centrate - such as where containers are stored and first opened, where materials are mixed and where compound is melted - will further ensure a work environment virtually free of VCM. APPENDIX 2 FUNCTIONAL ADDITIVES USED IN PVC COMPOUND Additives chosen for a specific compound will vary according to processing and final product require ments. The following list does not represent all possi ble additives but it does represent typical ingredients which may be used in vinyl compounds. Stabilizer inhibits thermal degradation of the com pound during processing and throughout the service life of the product. Stabilizers may be grouped into four classes: organometallic tins, lead salts, mixed metal salts and special-purpose stabilizers. The most common organometallic tin stabilizers are tin mercaptides, mainly methyl tin and butyl tin. Some stabilizers, including di-n-octyl and dimethyl tin mercaptide, are FDA acceptable for food contact applications. Lead salts, like dibasic lead phosphite, are mainly organic lead compounds and include sul fates, silicates, phosphates, stearates, phthaiates and maleates. Mixed metal salts include calciumzinc and barium-cadmium systems. Special-purpose stabilizers include flame retardants such as anti mony derivatives and ultraviolet light absorbers. Sta bilizer will typically be present in amounts up to 5% by weight. Processing aids. The most common processing aids used with vinyl compound are acrylics or styreneacrylonitrile copolymers present at levels up to 5.0% by weight. Impact modifiers commonly used with vinyl include acrylates, chlorinated polyethylene, methacrylatebutadiene-styrene (MBS), acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS), and rubber. Although not present in all compounds, when used, impact modifier may range up to 20% by weight. Fillers. Most common are metal carbonates, mainly calcium carbonate, which is unusaliy in the form of ground limestone and coated with stearic acid. Other fillers may be silicates, gypsum, clay, alum and barytes. Plasticizer. Many kinds of plasticizers are available such as dioctyl, dihexyl and dibutyl phthlates, phos phate esters such as isodecyf diphenyl phosphate, aliphaticalcohol esters such asdioctyl adipate, poly meric plasticizer such as polyesters of adipic acid, and monomeric esters such as trimellitate. Dioctyl phthlate is FDA acceptable for food contact applica tions. When used in flexible vinyl compound, plastici zer concentration will generally range between 20-50%, by weight. Lubricants include paraffin waxes, mineral oils, polyethylene, salts of fatty acids and fatty acids, esters and amides. Lubricants would be present up to approximately 5%. Pigment. A list of common pigments appears in Sec tion II. Pigments may be present up to 5% to achieve opacity and color. In weatherable compounds, titanium dioxide may be present at concentrations up to 10-15% to achieve acceptable ultraviolet light screening. APPENDIX 3 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES Nopolychlorinatedbiphenyls{PCB)orpolybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and none of the following materials designated as toxic and hazardous by the U.S. Depart ment of Labor (OSHA) are used to manufacture Geon vinyl resin or compound nor are they anticipated by products in our production process. Some of these materials are ubiquitous and trace quantities may be found in theenvironmentorasimpurities in ingredients used in compound. 29CFR1910. 1001 Asbestos 1012 Ethyleneimine 1002 Coal tar pitch volatiles 1013 beta-Propiolactone 10034-Nitrobiphenyl 1014 2-Acetyfaminofluorene 1004 alpha-Naphthylamine 1015 4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene 1006 Methyl chloromethyl ether 1016 N-Nitrosodimethylamine 1007 3.3'-Dichlorobenzidine 1018 inorganic arsenic (and salts) 1029 Coke oven emissions 1008 bis-Chloromethyl ether -1043 Cotton dust 1009 beta-Naphthylamine 1044 1.2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane 1010 Benzidine 10114-Aminodiphenyl 1045 Acrylonitrile BFG50386