Canadian government may label VAM as toxic

13 May 2008 23:13  [Source: ICIS news]

By Lane Kelley

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--The Canadian government may add a toxic label to vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), which is used to make a polymer in chewing gum, a health spokesman said on Tuesday.

The toxic label would appear in a report that the government is releasing on Saturday, said Alastair Sinclair, spokesman for Health Canada.

The Health Canada report is part of a larger review of 200 substances, including VAM, considered to be a "potentially high hazard substance."

VAM received the classification because of findings by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),  the cancer-research arm of the World Health Organization.

The IARC has found "sufficient evidence" that VAM may have caused nasal tumours in lab rats.

However, the IARC said in its report that there is "inadequate evidence" of similar results in humans.

The Canadian study on VAM listed a number of uses for the material, including adhesives, perfume additives, flavouring agents, paints and coatings additives, softeners in rubber and plastic films for food packaging.

VAM is also used to make chewing-gum base, the report said.

Chewing gum makers tried to distance themselves from VAM by saying they do not put it in their brands. However, they acknowledged that VAM is used to make polyvinyl acetate (PVA), an ingredient found in chewing gum.

Wrigley considers PVA to be a safe ingredient, said Chris Perille, senior director of external relations at the company. Wrigley makes Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Big Red and Extra.  

"Polyvinyl acetate is an ingredient in a number of gum bases," Perille said. "We consider it to be safe."

At Canadian gum maker Cadbury Adams Canada, spokeswoman Luisa Girotto said she wanted to stress that the company did not add VAM to any of its gums, which include Dentyne, Trident, Chiclets and Stride.

Girotto acknowledged it could be used as an ingredient in another additive in the gum, but said VAM was not added to Cadbury's products.

"It's not an ingredient," Girotto said of vinyl acetate. "Our gums do not have vinyl acetate. We don't add it."

US VAM prices during the week ended 9 May were assessed at 63-67 cents/lb or $1,389-1,477 (€889-945/tonne), according to global chemical market intelligence service ICIS pricing.

($1 = €0.64)

For more on vinyl acetate visit ICIS chemical intelligence
To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Lane Kelley
+1 713 525 2653

< previous article(ICIS Podcast: Chemical News Central 2 November 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly