Join us on Thursday, April 11th for a FREE screening of “Blue Vinyl,” an Emmy-award winning documentary uncovering the environmental, health and environmental justice impacts of vinyl chloride. After the screening there will be a moderated panel discussion with residents from East Palestine, Ohio and Beaver County, Pennsylvania who were directly affected by vinyl chloride.

Vinyl chloride is a toxic chemical used to make polyvinyl chloride (aka vinyl or PVC) plastic. It’s found in PVC pipes, vinyl siding, windows, flooring, packaging, furniture, car parts, children's toys, pet toys, shower curtains, credit cards, gift cards, and many other consumer goods. Vinyl chloride is not just suspected of causing cancer — the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers it a Group 1 carcinogen.

Vinyl chloride is often carried to manufacturers of the products mentioned above through rail cars. Railroads cross waterways, traverse wild places, and pass through neighborhoods - creating a risk of catastrophic harm to our communities and the environment. Of the 53 cars that derailed in the East Palestine train derailment, five of the vinyl chloride cars were purposely drained into a ditch and set on fire - a process we now know wasn't necessary.

On December 14, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, DC announced that it will include vinyl chloride in its short list of chemicals for risk evaluation. This is the first legal step required to ban a substance under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). We encourage you to take this opportunity to learn more about vinyl chloride and to ask your members of Congress to urge their support for a ban. Click here for details on how to ask your member of congress.

We have the ability to accommodate 50 people, but you must RSVP:

WHAT: Blue Vinyl Documentary Screening + Panel Discussion

WHERE: Iron Horse Theatre in Ambridge, Pennsylvania

WHEN: Thursday, April 11th from 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Blue Vinyl: The World’s First Toxic Comedy (2002):

Turned off by her parents’ decision to put vinyl siding on their small Long Island house, director Judith Helfand takes viewers on her 5-year adventure across the United States and to Europe to get the back story on vinyl.

Along the way she meets area residents who suffer from cancer and respiratory ailments–shining a spotlight on environmental justice years before the term became popular. She shows how they became empowered to test local air quality using simple buckets–soon discovering how vinyl chloride in the air often exceeded limits, limits that are arbitrary because there is no safe level of exposure to vinyl chloride.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• The movie will start at 5:40 PM and the panel discussion will begin at 7:45 PM.

• The theater space has been rented for this event, so please direct all questions to us at info@marcellusawareness.org.

• Parking is located in the lot across from the theatre.

• Concessions will be available.

• Covid testing prior to attendance is appreciated; masks are encouraged, and PLEASE stay home if you're not feeling well – even if you suspect it’s just allergies.

• This is a kid-friendly event, but please note that the subject matter of the documentary is quite serious.

• This event is hosted by Beyond Plastics, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC), Breathe Project, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Clean Air Council/Action, Food and Water Watch, Moms Clean Air Force and People Over Petro.

Blue Vinyl Documentary Screening (Ambridge)