Substance profile
Vinyl chloride
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas or liquid (below 77 degrees F) with an ethereal odor.
01 · Identification
What Vinyl chloride is
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas or liquid (below 77 degrees F) with an ethereal odor. Its molecular formula is C2H3Cl and its molecular weight is 62.5 g/mol. It boils at -13.8 °C, melts at -154 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
02 · Identifiers
Vinyl chloride identifiers and molecular data
Vinyl chloride CAS number and EC number
Vinyl chloride molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Vinyl chloride
- VCM
- chloroethylene
- Chlorethylene
- Chloroethene
- 1-Chloroethene
- 1-Chloroethylene
- Ethene, Chloro-
- Ethylene Monochloride
- Ethylene, Chloro-
- Monochloroethene
- Monochloroethylene
- Monochoroethene
- Vc
- Vcl
03 · GHS classification
Vinyl chloride hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Vinyl chloride pictograms and signal word
Vinyl chloride hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flammable gases GHS chapter 2.2 | Category 1A | H220 | GHS02 |
| Carcinogenicity GHS chapter 3.6 | Category 1A or 1B | H350 | GHS08 |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
Vinyl chloride hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H220 | Extremely flammable gas. |
| H350 | May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Vinyl chloride. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for Vinyl chloride
Our own Vinyl chloride safety data sheet walks through all sixteen sections of the published data. What it is not is the document an inspector asks for: an SDS is issued for a product by its supplier, so the sheet covering the grade actually standing in your store exists only in that supplier’s version. Collecting those and keeping them current as suppliers revise them is a separate job.
04 · Precautionary statements
Vinyl chloride precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 7 precautionary statements to Vinyl chloride. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
Vinyl chloride name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | винилхлорид хлороетилен |
| Spanish español | Cloruro de vinilo cloroetileno |
| Czech čeština | vinylchlorid chlorethen |
| Danish dansk | vinylchlorid chlorethylen |
| German Deutsch | Vinylchlorid Chlorethen |
| Estonian eesti | vinüülkloriid kloroetüleen |
| Greek ελληνικά | βινυλοχλωρίδιο χλωροαιθυλένιο |
| English English | vinyl chloride chloroethylene |
| French français | chlorure de vinyle chloroéthylène |
| Croatian hrvatski | vinil-klorid kloretilen |
| Italian italiano | vinile cloruro cloroetilene |
| Latvian latviešu | vinilhlorīds hloretilēns |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | vinilo chloridas chloretilenas |
| Hungarian magyar | vinil-klorid klór-etilén |
| Maltese Malti | klorur tal-vinil kloroetilen |
| Dutch Nederlands | vinylchloride chloorethyleen |
| Polish polski | chlorek winylu chloroetenchloroetylen |
| Portuguese português | cloreto de vinilo cloroetileno |
| Romanian română | clorură de vinil cloretilenă |
| Slovak slovenčina | vinylchlorid chlóretén |
| Slovenian slovenščina | vinil klorid kloroetilen |
| Finnish suomi | vinyylikloridi kloorietyleeni |
| Swedish svenska | vinylklorid kloreten |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
Vinyl chloride GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Vinyl chloride, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Vinyl chloride
- Extremely flammable gas.
- May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
- Keep container tightly closed.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Store in a well-ventilated place.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Vinyl chloride in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Vinyl chloride health hazards and exposure limits
Vinyl chloride hazard summary
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas. It burns easily and it is not stable at high temperatures. It has a mild, sweet odor. It is a manufactured substance that does not occur naturally. It can be formed when other substances such as trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene are broken down. Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials. Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.
Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Vinyl chloride carcinogenicity classification
There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride causes angiosarcoma of the liver, and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
On the basis of sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity in human epidemiology studies, vinyl chloride is considered to best fit the weight-of-evidence characterization Category A, according to current EPA Risk Assessment Guidelines (USEPA, 1986).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.
Vinyl chloride occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 1.0 [ppm], STEL(OSHA) = 5 ppm (avg. not exceeding any 15 min) | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 1 ppm [0.5 ppm Action Level] | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | 5 ppm [15 minutes] | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | Ca See Appendix A | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | A potential occupational carcinogen. (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | NIOSH considers vinyl chloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen. | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
| IDLH | Ca [N.D.] | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Vinyl chloride properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
Vinyl chloride boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | -13.8 °C (7.2 °F) | HSDB | |
| -13.89 °C (7 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| -13.89 °C (7 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO |
Vinyl chloride melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -153.84 °C (-244.9 °F) | HSDB | |
| -160 °C (-256 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| -153.89 °C (-245 °F) | CAMEO |
Vinyl chloride density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.9 g/cm³ | liquid | ICSC |
| 0.9106 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | In water, 2700 mg/L | HSDB | |
| Soluble in ethanol; very soluble in ethyl ether | HSDB | ||
| In water, 8.8X10+3 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 2508 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 3878 mmHg | CAMEO | ||
| 2980 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | -78 °C (-108.4 °F) | HSDB | |
| -78.89 °C (-110 °F) | CAMEO |
Vinyl chloride autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 472.22 °C (882 °F) | HSDB | |
| 472 °C (881.6 °F) | ICSC |
Vinyl chloride lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 3.6 % by volume | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 33 % by volume | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 2.15 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 2.21 (air = 1) | CAMEO | ||
| 2.2 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Vinyl chloride odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | Odor Threshold Low: 10.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map | |
| Odor Threshold High: 20.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map | ||
| Odor threshold from AIHA | Haz-Map |
Vinyl chloride critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 151.46 °C (304.6 °F) | HSDB |
Vinyl chloride corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Vinyl chloride is not corrosive when dry but in presence of moisture it corrodes iron and steel. | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Vinyl chloride fire and explosion behaviour
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
Vinyl chloride fire potential
A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat or flame, or oxidizers. Large fires of this material are practically inextinguishable.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Vinyl chloride storage and handling
Vinyl chloride reactive group
CAMEO Chemicals places Vinyl chloride in the reactive groups Halogenated Organic Compounds, Hydrocarbons, Aliphatic Unsaturated, Polymerizable Compounds. Compatibility with other chemicals is worked out from the group, not from the individual substance — which is why two substances you have never seen react can still be flagged as a pair that must be separated.
A reactive group is a CAMEO Chemicals (US NOAA) grouping, not a GHS hazard class: it has no code, no category and no legal force. It is what the storage compatibility matrix on this site computes from.
Vinyl chloride peroxide formation
C: Compounds that autopolymerize due to peroxide formation if inhibitors are depleated or not present
Source: Lab and Research Safety, University of Minnesota
Vinyl chloride safe storage
Fireproof. Separated from : see Chemical Dangers. Cool. Store only if stabilized. Well closed. Keep in a well-ventilated room. Separated from oxidizing materials.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Vinyl chloride storage conditions
Vinyl chloride should be stored in cool well-ventilated areas, out of direct sunlight. It is usually stored under pressure and handled as a liquid. It must be kept away from sparks, flames and other ignition sources.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Vinyl chloride incompatible materials
On treatment with strong alkalis at high temperatures it loses hydrogen chloride.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Vinyl chloride reactivity
VINYL CHLORIDE is peroxidizable. Forms explosive polymeric peroxides in contact with air (in the presence of any of a variety of catalysts) [Bretherick 1979. p. 164]. Long storage in contact with air increases the concentration of the polyperoxides to hazardous levels [MCA Case History 1551. 1969]. The peroxides may initiate exothermic polymerization of the remaining material [Handling Chemicals Safely 1980.p. 958; Bretherick 1979. p. 160]. Light-sensitive. Many oxidizing agents apparently initiate polymerization (oxides of nitrogen, O2, etc.). May react with very hot water or steam to produce toxic fumes.
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Vinyl chloride in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Transport
Vinyl chloride UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
Vinyl chloride under UN 1086 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VINYL CHLORIDE, STABILIZED | 2 | 2F | — | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 2 is “Gases” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl chloride, stabilized | 2.1 | — | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 2.1 is “Flammable gas” (49 CFR 173.2).
12 · Questions
Vinyl chloride — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Vinyl chloride?
The CAS number of Vinyl chloride is 75-01-4. Its EC number is 200-831-0.
What is the chemical formula of Vinyl chloride?
The molecular formula of Vinyl chloride is C2H3Cl and its molecular weight is 62.5 g/mol.
What does a Vinyl chloride label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Vinyl chloride carries the pictograms Flame and Health hazard and the signal word is Danger.
Is Vinyl chloride flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns Vinyl chloride H220 — extremely flammable gas. The flash point reported for it is -78 °C (-108.4 °F) (HSDB).
Is Vinyl chloride a carcinogen?
Yes. CLP Annex VI classifies Vinyl chloride as a category 1A or 1B carcinogen and assigns it H350: may cause cancer. IARC places it in Group 1: carcinogenic to humans.
What is the exposure limit for Vinyl chloride?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for Vinyl chloride is 1.0 [ppm], STEL(OSHA) = 5 ppm (avg. not exceeding any 15 min) (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of Vinyl chloride?
The boiling point reported for Vinyl chloride is -13.8 °C (7.2 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Vinyl chloride?
The melting point reported for Vinyl chloride is -153.84 °C (-244.9 °F) (HSDB).
How should Vinyl chloride be stored?
CLP Annex VI assigns Vinyl chloride the storage statement P403. Vinyl chloride should be stored in cool well-ventilated areas, out of direct sunlight. It is usually stored under pressure and handled as a liquid. It must be kept away from sparks, flames and other ignition sources. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
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Substances next to Vinyl chloride
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