Massachusetts Chemical Fact Sheets
Massachusetts Chemical Fact Sheets describe the hazards, exposure routes, uses and alternatives, and regulatory context for selected chemicals, including those on the Toxics Use Reduction Science Advisory Board's list of 'more hazardous chemicals.'
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Arsenic is a known human carcinogen which is found naturally in the environment and used in industry and agriculture.
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Cadmium (Cd) is a soft, silver-white, low-melting-point metal. Cadmium is extracted mainly as a byproduct of the mining and processing of zinc, lead, or copper. Cadmium has many uses in industry and consumer products, mainly in batteries, pigments, coatings and plating solutions, polymer stabilizers, metal alloys, and some other compounds.
Due to its serious adverse effects on human health and the environment, Cd is subject to multiple regulations at the state, federal, and international levels.
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Chlorine is an important individual chemical and also acts as an building blocks for many other chemical products. It however has come under increased scrutiny by regulators and environmental organizations primarily because of its potential for harm to human health through acute exposure.
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Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the international standard plasticizer for otherwise rigid plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). DEHP provides excellent flexibility at reasonable cost, and is found in a multitude of industrial, commercial and consumer products.
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Manufacturers use dimethylformamide as a solvent in a variety of applications, including the production of electronic components, pharmaceutical products, textile coatings, and urethanes.
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Ethylene oxide poses serious hazards to human health; it
was recently upgraded to a known human carcinogen by
the National Toxicology Program. In 1996, United States
manufacturers consumed over 8.8 billion pounds of ethylene
oxide, primarily as an intermediary chemical in the
manufacture of ethylene glycols, glycol ethers,
ethanolamines, and surface-active agents (surfactants).
Some businesses and hospitals use ethylene oxide directly
as a sterilant or fumigant as it effectively kills microbial
organisms. In Massachusetts, only one facility uses ethylene
oxide in large quantities to sterilize disposable medical
equipment.
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Off-gassed from construction products and released by manufacturing facilities and combustion
sources, formaldehyde is almost ubiquitous at low levels in both indoor and outdoor air. It is often targeted as a cause of health complaints associated with "sick building syndrome," such as respiratory irritation and headaches. In 2005, Massachusetts companies used more than 3.5 million pounds of formaldehyde.
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Hydrofluoric acid is extremely corrosive. Acute exposures
are especially hazardous and can result in severe burns or
respiratory damage. U. S. manufacturers use hydrofluoric
acid to produce fluorocarbons, aluminum and other
chemical products. Metal pickling and etching applications
are the primary end-uses for hydrofluoric acid in
Massachusetts. Hydrofluoric acid use is on the decline in
Massachusetts. However, produced as an unintended
byproduct, coal-fired power plants are a potential source
of public exposure to hydrofluroic acid.
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Lead is a natural, bluish-gray metal that possesses the general physical properties of other metals as a conductor of electricity and heat. Manufacturers use lead in many different products such as batteries, metal products, cables, ceramic glazes, pigments, and ammunition. Lead is a well-established human and environmental hazard.
In 2004, Massachusetts manufacturers used more than 3.5 million pounds of lead and lead compounds.
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Methylene Diphenyl Isocyanate (MDI) is a poison when inhaled.
At room temperature MDI is a solid, but it is sold and used in
molten form. Workplaces are the primary source of exposure to
MDI, which is an intermediary chemical in the manufacture of
polyurethanes. In Massachusetts MDI use is on the rise due to a
single facility, which used over 10 million pounds in 1997 to
manufacture roofing insulation.
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Able to dissolve most organic materials, perchloroethylene (PCE) is the most widely used dry cleaning solvent in Massachusetts and nationally. Its other major uses are as a metal degreaser, a chemical intermediate and an ingredient in consumer products, such as automotive aerosol parts cleaners and degreasers. PCE is reported to be the chemical most widely found in groundwater contamination at Superfund sites.
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Sulfuric acid is a corrosive toxic chemical that causes direct
effects ranging from irritation to burns on the skin, eyes, and
respiratory tract. Massachusetts businesses consumed
almost 45 million pounds of sulfuric acid, the world's most
widely used chemical, in the production of chemicals,
electricity, food products, paper products, electronics, textiles,
leather goods, and electroplated parts. Fuming sulfuric acid
is used to transport high concentrations of acid.
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