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Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas that is used primarily to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a common plastic material. It is a hazardous chemical that poses significant health and environmental risks if it is released into the environment. There have been several vinyl chloride spills around the world throughout history that have caused significant harm.
One of the most significant vinyl chloride spills in history occurred in 1976 in Seveso, Italy. A reactor at a chemical plant overpressurized and released a cloud of dioxin, a toxic byproduct of vinyl chloride production, into the surrounding area. As a result, several thousand people were exposed to the toxic cloud, and a 15 square kilometer area was contaminated with dioxin. The disaster led to the evacuation of 37,000 people and caused a significant increase in cases of skin and respiratory diseases.
Another notable vinyl chloride spill occurred in 1984 in Bhopal, India. A pesticide plant owned by Union Carbide accidentally released 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas, which reacted with other chemicals in the plant to form vinyl chloride. The resulting cloud of toxic gas killed over 3,000 people and caused respiratory problems for hundreds of thousands more.
In the United States, there have also been several vinyl chloride spills that have caused significant harm. In 1978, a storage tank at a vinyl chloride plant in Louisville, Kentucky, ruptured, releasing 34,000 pounds of vinyl chloride gas into the surrounding area. The spill led to the evacuation of 5,000 people and caused several cases of respiratory problems.
In 2012, a vinyl chloride spill occurred in Paulsboro, New Jersey, when a train carrying vinyl chloride derailed and released 20,000 gallons of the chemical into a nearby creek. The spill led to the evacuation of several hundred people and caused respiratory problems for some residents.
Overall, vinyl chloride spills have caused significant harm to human health and the environment around the world. These incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of proper safety measures and environmental regulations to prevent such disasters from occurring in the future.
