Special communication. Polyvinyl chloride - vinyl chloride disease: an occupational health hazard.

Poly Vinly Chloride (PVC) is a very durable, practical and economical plastic, which is so wide spread in its use that it may become difficult to replace it. The annual amount of world production has been constantly increasing and has reached the figure of 8.5m tons. While PVC is so useful, the health hazards which accompany this plastic are causing alarm in the industrially developed countries. The hazards are severe and include defects such as Haemangioendothelial sarcoma (Angiosarcoma) of the liver, Acro-Osteolysis of the fingers and Sclerodermic type skin lesions. This paper illustrates the recent developments, the clinical findings and the measures necessary to control the disease. Moreover, this paper should help alerting the health authorities in the developing countries about the health hazards involved in the manufacture and utilization of PVC. Due to the restrictions imposed on PVC producing plants, there is a real eventuality that these plants may be transferred to the developing countries, where this disease is still unknown.