MEMORANDUM 

TO: Jodi Howard, US EPA/OAQPS/SPPD/RCG 

FROM: Eastern Research Group, Inc.

DATE: February 7, 2012

SUBJECT: Hazardous Air Pollutants in Stripped Resin for the Polyvinyl Chloride and 

Copolymers (PVC) Source Category

ERG analyzed the updated and corrected database of stripped resin sampling data 

submitted1 by the Vinyl Institute with their public comments on the proposed rule to determine 

which HAP, other than vinyl chloride, were reported consistently as non-detects or below 

detection limit by all facilities. This analysis was performed separately for suspension resin, 

dispersion resin, suspension blending resin, and copolymer resin. 

Attachment A details, for each resin type, the total number of data points reported for 

each HAP (other than vinyl chloride) and the number of data points that were reported as nondetects or below detection limit. 

Based on the analysis, Table 1 shows the nineteen HAP, other than vinyl chloride, that 

were detected by at least one facility (value reported above the detection limit) for all four resin 

types. 

Table 1. HAP Detected in Stripped Resin 

2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Ethylidene Dichloride

2,4-Dinitrophenol Formaldehyde

Acetaldehyde Hydroquinone

Acetophenone Methanol

Benzene Methyl Chloride

Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate Toluene

Chloroform Vinyl Acetate

Cumene Vinylidene Chloride

Ethyl Chloride Xylenes (Mixed Isomers)

Ethylene Dichloride

Included as part of their public comment submission2, the Vinyl Institute included a list 

of HAP that were analyzed by at least one facility but were not detected by any facilities. Those 

HAP are listed in Table 2, The Vinyl Institute recommended that facilities test for the HAP listed 

in Table 2 periodically or once a year. 

1
Table 2. HAP Identified by the Vinyl Institute that were Tested for but not Detected by 

any Facility 

1,1,2,2 – Tetrachloroethane Hydroquinonea

1,3- Butadiene Methylene Chloride 

Chlorobenzene n-Hexane 

Chloroprene Phenol 

Ethylbenzene Trichloroethane 

Ethylene Glycol Vinyl Bromine 

a Hydroquinone was detected.See Attachment A for 

suspension resin. 

 

2
References 

1. “Updated Information Collection and Additional Data Received for the Polyvinyl 

Chloride and Copolymers (PVC) Production Source Category.” Memorandum from 

Eastern Research Group, Inc. To Jodi Howard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

February 2012. 

2. Attachment 10 of Public Comments Submitted by Keller and Heckman, LLP on Behalf 

of The Vinyl Institute, Inc. Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2002-0037 

 

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Attachment A: 

 Total Number of Data Points Reported for Each HAP and the Total Number Reported as 

Below Detection Limit 

Analytes highlighted in yellow were reported were detected by at least one facility in the resin 

subcategory. 

Suspension Resin 

Suspension Resin Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 2 2

1,1,2-Trichloroethane 2 2

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 2 2

1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane 2 2

1,3-Butadiene 175 175

1,4-Dichlorobenzene 2 2

2,2,4-Trimethylpentane 142 135

2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 2 2

2,4-Dinitrophenol 2 2

2,4-Dinitrotoluene 2 2

2-Nitropropane 2 2

Acetaldehyde 403 159

Acetonitrile 2 2

Acetophenone 338 165

Acrolein 2 2

Acrylonitrile 2 2

Allyl Chloride 2 2

Benzene 174 173

Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate 60 59

Bromoform 2 2

Carbon Disulfide 2 2

Carbon Tetrachloride 2 2

Chlorobenzene 38 38

Chloroform 204 201

Chloroprene 62 62

Cumene 315 253

Dibenzofuran 2 2

Ethyl Benzene 38 38

Ethyl Chloride 379 208

Ethylene Dibromide 2 2

Ethylene Dichloride 379 302

Ethylidene Dichloride 245 186

Formaldehyde 403 90

Hexachlorobenzene 2 2

Hexachlorobutadiene 2 2

4
Suspension Resin Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

Hexachloroethane 2 2

Hexane 38 38

Hydroquinone 297 237

Isophorone 2 2

Methanol 439 184

Methyl Bromide 2 2

Methyl Chloride 439 366

Methyl Chloroform 2 2

Methyl Iodide 2 2

Methyl Methacrylate 2 2

Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether 2 2

Methylene Chloride 32 32

Naphthalene 2 2

Nitrobenzene 2 2

o-Xylene 2 2

PAH, total 76 76

p-Dioxane 2 2

Pentachlorophenol 1 1

Phenol 246 246

Polychlorinated Biphenyls 104 104

Propylene Dichloride 2 2

p-Xylene 2 2

Styrene 2 2

Tetrachloroethylene 2 2

Toluene 179 159

Trichloroethane 35 35

Trichloroethylene 2 2

Vinyl Acetate 171 171

Vinyl Bromide 276 276

Vinylidene Chloride 174 173

Xylenes (Mixed Isomers) 144 124

 

5
Dispersion Resin 

Dispersion Resin Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 30 30

1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane 30 30

1,4-Dichlorobenzene 29 29

2,2,4-Trimethylpentane 28 28

2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 29 29

2,4-Dinitrophenol 29 28

2,4-Dinitrotoluene 29 29

2-Nitropropane 30 30

Acetaldehyde 78 28

Acetonitrile 30 30

Acetophenone 57 54

Acrolein 30 30

Acrylonitrile 30 30

Allyl Chloride 30 30

Benzene 58 58

Bromoform 30 30

Carbon Disulfide 30 30

Carbon Tetrachloride 30 30

Chlorobenzene 30 30

Chloroform 79 79

Chloroprene 51 51

Cumene 58 52

Dibenzofuran 29 29

Ethyl Benzene 30 30

Ethyl Chloride 79 30

Ethylene Dibromide 30 30

Ethylene Dichloride 79 37

Ethylidene Dichloride 58 51

Formaldehyde 78 31

Hexachlorobenzene 29 29

Hexachlorobutadiene 29 29

Hexachloroethane 29 29

Hexane 30 30

Hydroquinone 49 49

Isophorone 29 29

Methanol 79 68

Methyl Bromide 30 30

Methyl Chloride 79 46

Methyl Chloroform 30 30

Methyl Iodide 30 30

Methyl Methacrylate 30 30

Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether 30 30

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Dispersion Resin Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

Methylene Chloride 30 30

Naphthalene 29 29

Nitrobenzene 29 29

o-Xylene 30 30

p-Dioxane 30 30

Pentachlorophenol 26 26

Phenol 49 49

Propylene Dichloride 30 30

p-Xylene 30 30

Styrene 30 30

Tetrachloroethylene 30 30

Toluene 58 58

Trichloroethylene 30 30

Vinyl Acetate 51 51

Vinyl Bromide 49 49

Vinylidene Chloride 79 79

Xylenes (Mixed Isomers) 58 58

 

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Suspension Blending Resin 

Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 9 9

1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane 9 9

1,4-Dichlorobenzene 9 9

2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 9 9

2,4-Dinitrophenol 9 9

2,4-Dinitrotoluene 9 9

2-Nitropropane 9 9

Acetaldehyde 39 7

Acetonitrile 9 9

Acetophenone 39 39

Acrolein 9 9

Acrylonitrile 9 9

Allyl Chloride 9 9

Benzene 39 38

Bromoform 9 9

Carbon Disulfide 9 9

Carbon Tetrachloride 9 9

Chlorobenzene 9 9

Chloroform 39 39

Chloroprene 9 9

Cumene 39 39

Dibenzofuran 9 9

Ethyl Benzene 9 9

Ethyl Chloride 39 2

Ethylene Dibromide 9 9

Ethylene Dichloride 39 15

Ethylidene Dichloride 39 39

Formaldehyde 39 7

Hexachlorobenzene 9 9

Hexachlorobutadiene 9 9

Hexachloroethane 9 9

Hexane 9 9

Hydroquinone 30 30

Isophorone 9 9

Methanol 39 24

Methyl Bromide 9 9

Methyl Chloride 39 37

Methyl Chloroform 9 9

Methyl Iodide 9 9

Methyl Methacrylate 9 9

Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether 9 9

Methylene Chloride 9 9

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Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

Naphthalene 9 9

Nitrobenzene 9 9

o-Xylene 9 9

p-Dioxane 9 9

Pentachlorophenol 8 8

Phenol 30 30

Propylene Dichloride 9 9

p-Xylene 9 9

Styrene 9 9

Tetrachloroethylene 9 9

Toluene 39 38

Trichloroethylene 9 9

Vinyl Acetate 9 9

Vinyl Bromide 30 30

Vinylidene Chloride 39 39

Xylenes (Mixed Isomers) 39 38

 

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Copolymer Resin 

Copolymer Resin Analyte

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms

Count of Total Data Points for 

Wet Resin from Stripper 

Bottoms, Reported as Below 

Detection Limit

Acetaldehyde 11 0

Chloroform 11 11

Chloroprene 11 11

Ethyl Chloride 11 4

Ethylene Dichloride 11 11

Formaldehyde 11 0

Hydroquinone 11 11

Methanol 11 11

Methyl Chloride 11 11

Phenol 11 11

Vinyl Acetate 11 0

Vinyl Bromide 11 11

Vinylidene Chloride 11 11

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