• 1,3-butadiene is used to make synthetic rubber and some types of plastic.
• Most exposure occurs from breathing contaminated air, but can also occur through eating, drinking, or skin contact.

1,3-butadiene (BD) is a chemical made from the processing of petroleum. It is a colorless gas with a mild gasoline-like odor. About 75 percent of the manufactured 1,3-butadiene is used to make synthetic rubber. 1,3-butadiene is also used to make plastics including acrylics. Small amounts are found in gasoline.

Exposure to 1,3-butadiene occurs mainly from breathing contaminated air. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set an occupational exposure limit of 1,000 parts of 1,3-butadiene per million parts of air (1,000 ppm). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that 1,3-butadiene be kept to the lowest feasible concentration because of its potential to cause cancer.

People can be exposed to 1,3-butadiene from the following routes:

• Breathing urban and suburban air, but these levels are generally very low except in polluted cities or near chemical, plastic, and rubber facilities that use it.
• Breathing contaminated workplace air where it is manufactured or used.
• Breathing contaminated air from car and truck exhaust, waste incineration, or wood fires.
• Breathing cigarette smoke.
• Drinking contaminated water near production or waste sites.
• Ingesting foods contained in plastic or rubber food containers, but levels are generally very low or not present at all.
• Skin contact with gasoline, but levels are low.