One of Norfolk Southern's trains derailed on February 3, roughly 17 miles west of East Palestine, Ohio, releasing hazardous chemicals and igniting a large blaze. Fearing an explosion, officials ordered residents to evacuate and conducted a controlled burn of the cars’ spilled contents, which included a toxic chemical called vinyl chloride.

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Despite these risks, global PVC usage is on an uptick, and its market is projected to grow. While the latest disaster has brought renewed attention to the dangers of vinyl chloride, the incident is but one symptom of a troubling larger trend — one that’s been abetted by industry groups like the Vinyl Institute, which has poured millions of dollars into convincing the public, with the help of Democratic and Republican lobbyists alike, that PVC is safe and sustainable....

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