Definition of Vinyl chloride

Vinyl chloride: A substance used in manufacturing plastics that is known to be toxic and carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Dangerous exposure to vinyl chloride occurs mainly in the workplace. Breathing high levels of vinyl chloride for short periods of time can cause dizziness, sleepiness, unconsciousness and, at extremely high levels, death. Breathing vinyl chloride for long periods of time can result in permanent liver damage, nerve damage, liver cancer, brain tumors, lung cancer, and malignancies of the digestive tract.